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N     PR9SE-  ' 

1ARGARET  OLIVE  JORDAN 

p      !  Q  a  p  C3  p  p  p  o  @  o  ao  d  a  o  a  o"O..ci 


GIFT   OF 


WINE  FOR  THE  SOUL 

IN  PROSE  AND  VERSE 


WINE  for  the  SOUL 

IN    PROSE    AND    VERSE 
By  MARGARET  OLIVE  JORDAN 

Author  of  "GOD'S  SMILES,"  "WAVES  of  the  WORLD" 
and  "THE   MYSTERY   of  LUCAS    TERRACE." 

nnnnnnnnDnnnnnnn 


Published  by    J.   F.    ROWNY   PRESS 

Los  Angeles       :      :       1919       :      :       California 


Copyright,  1919 
by 

MARGARET  OLIVE  JORDAN 

Los  Angeles,  Cal. 
All  rights  reserved. 


ANTHEM 

Praises  be  to  the  Divinity  that  opens  my  soul 
to  the  light  of  the  glorious  morn,  waking  me  to 
knowledge  of  Love  and  Truth,  flowing  clear  and 
beautiful  from  the  great  cup  of  Life;  irradiating 
my  being  with  transcendental  loveliness  and  har- 
monizing me  with  everything  that  leads  to  eternal 
happiness;  finally  bringing  me  into  complete  one- 
ness with  the  great  Source  of  All.  Praises  be  to 
my  Higher  Self. 

Amen. 


* 


THE  ASCENSION 

Dedicated  to  my  husband,  Andrew  Hugh  Jordan,  whose  love 
withstood  all  temporal  power  and  is  mine  still,  though  he  has 
ascended. 

Out  of  the  depth'of  Self — 

Out  of  the  seeming  things, 
Up  to  the  True  and  Real 

Riseth  his  soul  on  wings. 

Out  of  material  gross, 

Shining  with  precious  glow, 
Transient  as  moment,  fleet, 

Flickering  to  and  fro. 

Out  of  the  cobweb's  mesh, 

Freed  from  its  deadly  clasp, 
Leaps  he,  with  mighty  force 

God's  vital  facts  to  grasp. 

Out  of  deception's  mire — 

Up  to  the  sterling  true, 
Where  reigneth  Love  alone ; 

Christ's  path  he'd  fain  pursue. 

Far  from  the  false  he  hastes — 

Jealousy,  hate  and  strife, 
High  above  Self's  low  plane, 

Knowing  'tis  Good  rules  life. 


-r.e..T,'       ^DEDICATION 

Up  'to  'the  ''sweet' Ideal 
Soareth  his  soul  its  way, 

Drinking  from  Wisdom's  cup, 
Bathing  in  Truth's  pure  ray. 

Onward  and  upward  still — 
Light  on  his  path  shines  clear  ;- 

Thus  declare  I,  who-w^r 

On  earth  he  holds  most  dear. 


*Written  for  and  read  by  Mrs.  Jordan  at  the  crematory  serv- 
ice over  Mr.  Jordan's  body. — Publishers. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

ANTHEM     .......     .     .     .     +  V 

THE  ASCENSION  .....    ...    .  VI 

THE  GAUGE .     ;    .  9 

THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  HAPPINESS     .    •«.••/•'  II 

THE  ANGEL  PEACE  .     .     .     .    ...-•<.     .  15 

BRAIN  CHILDREN     ........  16 

OUR  WORK    .....     .    .     .     .     .  17 

THE  SKY  LARK   >    ,   • .     .     .     .     .     .    .  20 

As  IT  COMES       .     ......     .     .     .  21 

REPEATING  UNPLEASANTRIES     ....  22 

THROUGH  MISTAKE     .     ...     .     .     .  26 

RIGHT  is  MIGHT 27 

THE  CALL  UP  GLORY  TRAIL 28 

LOOK  AHEAD 32 

OUR  TRUE  REFORMERS 33 

THE  POET'S  EAR 37 

FINDING  JOY  IN  THE  COMMON  THINGS  .  38 

SECRET  SERMONS 42 

THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  "BLUE  DOMER"  43 

SLANDER     . 47 

KEEP  A  GRATEFUL  HEART  .....  48 

WHEN  HEARTS  ARE  TRUE      .     .     .     .     .  52 

Is  POVERTY  A  DISEASE?  ......  53 

THE  DIVER 57 

WHY  SOME  PEOPLE  FAIL  AND  OTHERS 

SUCCEED 58 

To  BE  AND  NOT  TO  SEEM  .  63 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

MAKE  OF  LIFE  A  MELODY  .....  64 

FRIENDSHIP'S  RECALL ;  68 

THE  FORGIVING  SPIRIT 69 

MY  ROSARY 73 

THE  PENETRANT  LIGHT .    73 

THE  MEANING  OF  BROADMINDEDNESS     .  74 

ACROSS  THE  PATH  . 78 

KINDNESS  A  FINE  ART 79 

PROTECTION .     .     .    /  82 

IN  THE  HEART'S  TWILIGHT 83 

IN  THE  DESERT  OF  WAITING 84 

WHEN  A  MAN  Is  DOWN    .     .     .     .     .     .  87 

BUILDING  A  CITY  BEAUTIFUL    ....  88 

LEARN  TO  LOOK  UP 92 

NEVER  BECOME  DISCOURAGED  WITH 

YOURSELF     . 93 

WHAT  DOESN'T  PAY    .     .     .    ....  96 

THE  GREATER  WEALTH  .......  97 

FORGET — REMEMBER 101 

PARENTHOOD 102 

LOVE'S  WHITE  ROD 106 

SHOW  ME  THE  WAY 107 

THE  THINGS  THAT  ARE  WORTH  WHILE  108 

A  SMILE .     .     .     .    ..  112 

LIFE'S  SUM-TOTAL    .     ...     .     .     .     .  113 

WINNING  YOUR  WAY       .     .     .     .     .     .  114 

PRAY  WITHOUT  CEASING      ....  ..  117 

IN  THE  WORLD'S  WILDERNESS       .     .     .  118 

IN  PERPETUUM  ,  122 


THE  GAUGE 

Fling  wide  the  door  of  Everywhere 

And  let  Truth's  sunlight  in ; 
However  blinding  be  its  glare, 

'Twill  purify  all  sin. 

I  ope  the  door  of  Everywhere, 

And,  Life,  I'll  sup  with  thee ! 
'Twixt  thee  and  Truth  I  will  compare 

And  gain  my  liberty. 

Though  scarlet  hands  should  hold  thy  cup 

Of  sparkling  wine,  O  Life, 
Why  should  I  fear,  if  I  may  drink 

With  thee  and  Truth,  'mid  strife? 

The  Light  that  shines  through  Everywhere 

May  clarify  the  scene; 
If  this  be  true,  why  should  I  care 

If  Truth  dare  stand  between? 

Who  knows  but  that  the  scarlet  hand 

May  lose  its  shadowed  line — 
And  all  because  I  oped  the  door 

For  Everywhere  to  shine? 


THE  GAUGE 

For  Everywhere  is  Life  and  Truth; 

The  Light  is  shining  Love. 
The  wine  is  but  the  living  draught 

That's  rained  from  heaven  above. 

I  ope  the  door  of  Everywhere ! 

Nor  shall  it  close,  until 
I  know  that  Life  and  I  shall  share 

Truth's  blessed,  holy  will ! 


10 


THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  HAPPINESS 

Work  a  little,  play  a  little, 

Busy  every  day; 
Sing  a  little,  laugh  a  little, 

Don't  forget  to  pray. 

HE  world  at  present  is  rilled  with  an 
overworked  and  tried  people.  And 
the  real  purpose  of  it  all  cannot  be 
understood  by  mortal  mind. 

Humanity  is  surging  with  unbridled 
passion,  and  is  tumultuous  with  uncontrolled 
grief.  It  is  so  blown  about  by  anxiety  and 
doubt  that  happiness  to  many  seems  to  have 
lost  its  name.  It  is  only  those  whose  thoughts 
are  stayed  and  purified  that  can  make  the 
winds  and  storms  of  present  discord  pause  and 
obey  the  soul.  There  are  some,  we  are  glad 
to  note,  who  are  greatly  in  control  of  them- 
selves, even  in  a  time  like  this,  and  it  is  to  them 
that  the  world  is  indebted  for  the  light  that 
falls  upon  the  darkened  pathway.  Their  calm 
and  beautiful  lives  assure  us  that  self-control 
by  thought  is  the  simple  philosophy  of  happi- 
ness. That  it  is  through  thought  and  thought 
alone  that  the  Divine  Spirit  works  for  all,  and 

11 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

that  this  calm  and  poise  is  obtained  by  fre- 
quently applying  to  this  Divine  source  within 
ourselves. 

After  all  is  summed  up  we  gain  the  truth, 
that  happiness  is  a  state  of  mind.  To  create 
this  state  the  principal  faculty  to  be  employed 
is  the  imagination,  for  whatever  the  imagina- 
tion continues  to  imagine,  that  will  it  create, 
therefore  we  cannot  afford  to  imagine  what 
we  do  not  wish  to  realize  in  tangible  life.  To 
be  really  happy  we  must  picture  in  mind  a 
true  state  of  joy,  and  when  once  discerned 
we  must  enter  into  it  so  thoroughly  that  we 
can  feel  it.  Conditions  of  depression  and 
gloom  will  begin  to  give  way  to  this  new- 
found state  of  mind.  If  the  training  is  con- 
sistently kept  up,  in  a  reasonable  time  the 
entire  personality  will  be  overwhelmed  by 
that  beautiful  individuality,  which  makes 
some  people  glow  with  a  peculiar  loveliness, 
which  seems  to  say:  "I  know  that  the  Father 
careth  for  me  and  for  you,  and  is  planning  all 
things  for  our  everlasting  good." 

When  a  mind  once  establishes  itself  in  a 
faith  like  this,  it  is  no  longer  subject  to  those 
powers  that  destroy  and  make  useless  the  mind 
and  body.  When  we  try  consistently  to  be 
something  truer  and  greater,  we  cause  all  the 


THE   PHILOSOPHY  OF  HAPPINESS 

powers  of  love  to  flow  to  us.  And  this  love 
will  build  us  up  in  health.  Whatever  happens 
it  is  in  us  to  try  to  be  strong  in  mind ;  to  try  to 
be  poised  and  pure  in  mind,  and  to  try  to  be 
greater.  We  cause  all  the  powers  of  love  this 
way,  and  in  no  other,  to  create  an  atmosphere 
of  happiness  for  ourselves. 

The  life  that  is  within  can  say  to  the  life 
that  is  without,  "We  are  of  one  sweet  and 
beautiful  interest.  The  kind  words  you  de- 
sire said  to  you,  you  must  think  and  say  to 
another;  the  love  you  so  much  want,  that  love 
you  must  give.  The  smiles  you  want  to 
brighten  your  life,  you  must  give  away;  the 
cheery  voice  you  want  to  hear,  you  must  give 
out;  the  same  peace  that  you  crave,  you  must 
give."  This  is  the  message  that  life  gives  for 
the  simple  getting  of  happiness. 

To  be  patient  under  the  oppressions  of  life 
certainly  requires  self-mastery.  We  must 
think,  and  through  thinking  learn  to  renounce 
selfish  ideals.  Through  prayer  and  service 
we  can  gain  happiness,  that  simple  happiness 
that  makes  no  fuss  of  arrogance. 

So  if  we  are  down  we  must  collect  our  minds 
and  rise  and  be  thankful  that  the  great  God 
thought  enough  of  us  to  count  us  in  His  world 
royal,  in  a  time  like  this.  We  must  not  whine, 

13 


WINE   FOR  THE  SOUL 

grouch  nor  pout.  It  is  common.  Neither 
must  we  hang  on  to  the  past.  Every  day  is  a 
new  birth,  a  new  opportunity  offered  us  by 
life.  We  must  bear  our  burdens  like  gods, 
believing  them  to  be  door-ways  to  happiness. 
We  should  be  very  grateful  for  every  experi- 
ence, for  through  experience  knowledge 
comes.  If  we  will  cultivate  happiness,  it  will 
cultivate  us.  It  is  a  law  of  self-government. 


14 


THE  ANGEL  PEACE 

(Dedicated  to  sorrowing  ones  of  our  land.) 

O  weary  hearts  I    O  mourning  home ! 
Let  God's  meek  Angel  gently  come; 
The  Angel  Peace  will  banish  pain, 
And  e'en  restore  your  lost  again. 
If  you  but  let,  our  Father  dear, 
Will  send  his  Angel  Peace,  to  cheer. 
Oh !  thou  who  mournest,  I  would  say : 
"Come,  cease  your  grieving,  learn  to  pray, 
'Tis  not  my  will,  O  Heavenly  One, 
But  Thy  just  will  alone  be  done !'  " 
Then  turn  thine  heart  to  the  Angel  kind, 
Who  gently  whispers:     "Be  resigned! 
Bear  up,  dear  ones ;  the  end  shall  tell 
The  dear  Lord  ordereth  all  things  well." 


15 


BRAIN  CHILDREN 

Our  thoughts  are  like  so  many  pebbles 
Thrown  out  into  Life's  deep  sea, 

Which  rippling  wavelets,  rolling 
On  throughout  eternity. 

Our  thoughts  are  things  Immortal 
That,  as  Thinkers,  we  create, 

Patterned  by  the  Mind's  designing, 
In  fair  pictures  which  elate. 

Then  with  care  should  we  regard  them, 
Since  they  are  of  Self  a  part; 

Lest  it  chance  Life's  breakers  roll  them 
O'er  a  bruised  and  aching  heart. 

Let's  fit  them  with  the  wings  of  Mercy; 

They  are  children  of  our  brain, 
Floating  far  throughout  the  Cosmos, 

Chanting  out  our  life's  refrain. 


16 


OUR  WORK 

HE  greatest  gift  to  mankind  is  work! 
And  "work  or  starve"  is  nature's  motto. 
Since  this  is  true  we  all  need  to  come 
in  closer  rapport  with  our  work,  what- 
ever it  may  be,  would  we  make  it  a  suc- 
cess. Love  is  the  power  that  can  transmute 
work  and  drudgery  into  joy  and  gladness. 
Truly,  love  lightens  labor. 

One  may  love  life  and  all  that  it  brings  in 
the  way  of  opportunity  through  whole-heart- 
edness,  so  that  the  meanest  detail  of  it  comes 
to  have  a  meaning  and  beauty.  It  is  not  enough 
to  make  a  sense  of  mere  duty  to  wait  upon  our 
work;  it  is  not  enough  to  brood  over  it  in 
thought;  we  must  learn  to  love  it!  Yes,  we 
should  love  our  work  and  fill  it  with  the  life 
of  our  being.  In  this  way  only  can  we  make 
it  serve  us. 

Work  is  a  necessity.  The  Creator  might 
have  given  us  our  bread  ready  made;  He 
might  have  kept  us  in  the  beautiful  Eden  for- 
ever; but  he  did  not.  He  had  a  nobler  end  in 
view  for  man  than  the  mere  satisfaction  of  his 
animal  appetites  and  passions.  Work,  when 

17 


WINE   FOR  THE  SOUL 

properly  performed,  makes  possible  the  high- 
est attainments.  All  legitimate  occupations  are 
respectable  and  one  should  never  feel  above 
one's  work.  The  mental  attitude  toward  a 
thing  is  the  thing  that  counts.  There  is  always 
something  wrong  with  the  man  or  woman  who 
looks  upon  labor  as  degrading.  Any  work 
nobly  performed  will  lift  a  man  or  woman  into 
respectability. 

It  is  the  struggle  to  attain  that  lifts  the  indi- 
vidual. The  moment  we  put  our  hand  upon 
that  which  looks  attractive  at  a  distance,  and 
for  which  we  struggle  so  hard,  nature  robs  us 
of  its  charm  by  holding  up  before  us  another 
prize  still  more  attractive.  So  it  is  we  re- 
linquish one  prize  to  pursue  another,  but  with 
added  strength  developed  in  the  struggle  to 
attain  the  last.  We  can  never  stand  still,  you 
know,  but  it  is  onward  and  upward  forever! 
Yes,  indeed,  what  a  GREAT  thing  is  work! 

It  calls  us  away  from  the  hollow,  conven- 
tional, untrue  things,  and  forces  us  into  actual 
contact  with  living,  throbbing  humanity.  It 
gives  us  human  experience.  It  teaches  pa- 
tience, perseverance,  endurance,  forbearance 
and  application.  It  forces  us  to  be  tender,  sym- 
pathetic and  kind  to  one  another.  Through 
our  work  lost  hopes  are  resurrected,  griefs 
18 


OUR  WORK 

are  overcome,  health  is  established  and  our 
world  is  brightened. 

As  long  as  we  have  work  to  do  we  should 
never  despair  or  grow  weary  of  Life's  varied 
paths.  They  all  lead  Home — to  Success ;  and 
success  is  God's  approval  of  man's  work,  which 
He  has  given  each  to  do  and  which  must  be 
done.  Every  soul  should  do  his  work  the 
best  he  knows.  And  we  should  cheerfully 
and  willingly  help  others  with  their  work 
when  we  can,  and  seek  to  avenge  no  injury. 
All  work  is  God's  work,  consequently  as  earn- 
est men  and  women  we  should  honor  and  obey 
its  call.  A  great  American,  one  who  bravely 
started  his  life  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder  of  Toil, 
arriving  at  the  top  finally,  said: 

"Labor  is  the  great  master  of  the  race.  It 
is  the  grand  drill  in  life's  army,  without  which 
we  are  only  confused  and  powerless  when 
called  into  action." 

How  necessary  then  it  is  as  laborers  that  we 
dignify  our  efforts  and  know  that  Success  is 
the  child  of  hard  work  and  perseverance. 


19 


THE  SKYLARK 

The  skylark  near  my  meadow  brook 

Knows  naught  of  sorrow; 
His  one  concern,  it  is  to  live 

To  sing  tomorrow. 

'Tis  to  this  end  he  hunts  the  worm, 

His  song  to  strengthen; 
He  prays  to  God  no  prayer  of  doubt, 

His  life  to  lengthen. 

The  skylark  near  my  meadow  brook 

Performs  his  duty ; 
And  all  who  hear  his  song  of  love 

Concede  his  beauty. 

He  wastes  no  time  in  thinking  where 
He'll  sing  tomorrow; 

He  has  his  voice,  his  wings,  and  worm- 
Why  should  he  sorrow? 


20 


AS  IT  COMES 

Take  life  as  it  comes, 

Don't  grieve  and  despair; 
Take  life  at  its  best, 

There's  peace  somewhere. 

Take  life  as  it  is ! 

Don't  worry  and  fret, 
There's  never  a  good 

That's  come  of  it  yet. 

Just  take  it,  enjoy  it, 
In  spite  of  the  wrong, 

And  hear  the  world  echo 
With  music  and  song. 

'Tis  both  weak  and  foolish 
To  whimper  and  sigh 

O'er  clouds  of  the  morning 
That  soon  will  float  by. 


21 


REPEATING  UNPLEASANTRIES 

"I  breathed  a  sorrow  on  the  air — 
It  raised  a  cross  for  one  to  bear; 
A  brow  grew  wrinkled  with  my  thought; 
A  heart  was  in  its  meshes  caught 
It  brought  me  grief — another,  too, 
This  vagrant  thought  of  mine,  untrue!" 


HOLD  that  all  truths,  both  spiritual 
and  natural,  harmonize.  One  truth 
cannot  oppose  another.  But  it  is  the 
half-truth  that  causes  so  much  sorrow 
and  trouble  in  this  world.  Truth  tam- 
pered with  by  a  mind  in  half-truth  fashion 
seldom  fails  to  record  sorrow  and  distress.  It 
has  often  been  known  to  break  hearts.  It  has 
caused  many  useful  lives  to  retire  into  oblivion 
for  days  and  years,  until  old  Time,  the  faithful 
adjuster,  comes  forward  on  reckoning  day  and 
straightens  things  out  in  proper  order.  But 
while  we  wait,  we  know  that  we  have  been 
robbed  of  some  of  our  greatest  characters, 
and  it  does  not  seem  right. 

These  half-truths  are  tossed  about  by  those 
undeveloped  minds  who  find  pleasure  in  re- 
peating unpleasantries,  and  who  think  they 
are    giving    out    "information"    and    caring 
22 


REPEATING  UNPLEASANTRIES 

naught  of  the  discordant  effect  that  will  fol- 
low. If  persons  of  this  character  only  knew 
that  a  deep,  impenetrable  gloom  is  always 
hanging  between  their  minds  and  the  celestial 
mind,  maybe  these  dear  beings  would  have 
more  care.  Maybe  if  they  really  knew  this 
marvelous  truth  they  would  not  venture  over 
the  threshold  of  their  own  mental  abode  with 
the  half-truths  that  wound,  and  which,  if 
tested  out,  they  could  not  substantiate. 

Anything  that  has  in  it  no  supporting 
strength  is  at  best  but  a  half-truth.  This  is  all 
wrong — this  carrying  of  messages  that  bruise 
and  hurt.  If  I  want  to  help,  I  must  let  my 
purpose  be  true.  I  must  let  my  every  thought 
be  honest,  accurate,  clean  and  straightforward, 
otherwise  I  am  playing  the  juggler,  and  can- 
not support  that  which  I  would  build. 

The  thing  for  which  we  are  all  seeking  is 
the  best!  But  some  of  us  have  strange  and 
circuitous  ways  of  going  after  it.  There  is  an 
eternal  endeavor  to  reach  the  superior  point. 
Our  souls  seek  emancipation  from  omissions 
which  our  thoughts  impoverish  us  with,  and 
commissions,  that  defeat  us  for  a  time.  In  a 
dim  sort  of  way  we  long  to  get  hold  of  the 
valuable  things  of  life,  but  our  half-truth  em- 
ployment seriously  interferes.  We,  as  a  rule, 

23 


WINE   FOR  THE  SOUL 

lay  too  much  stress  on  appearances — the  unim- 
portant, and  are,  therefore,  hourly  beset  by 
small  vexations.  And  the  unpleasantries  we 
are  dealing  in  rasp  and  file  and  establish  a 
wearing  attrition  that  drains  our  vitality  and 
finally  induces  insidious  ailments  which  be- 
come in  time  serious  afflictions. 

As  a  whole,  we  must  learn  that  peace  and 
progress  cannot  or  will  not  come  by  pricks 
and  prods.  These  are  the  implements  of 
delay.  The  whole  truth  and  nothing  but  the 
truth  can  lead  us  safely  to  our  goal.  Every 
life  should  receive  our  sanction  of  happiness 
in  its  completeness.  We  should  do  all  in  our 
power  to  aid  to  this  end.  We  must  let  go  of 
mental  phantoms  that  shadow  us,  if  we  want 
to  walk  upright.  We  must  cease  groping 
about  in  the  debris  of  silly  illusions. 

Our  messages  of  "information"  should  be 
none  but  those  of  highest  encouragement,  even 
to  our  most  undeveloped  friend.  We  should 
present  our  messages  to  each  other  with  utmost 
respect  and  sincere  good  will.  We  should  let 
no  word  pass  our  lips  that  would  intentionally 
wound  or  coerce  those  we  seek  to  aid.  Mor- 
ally, we  may  be  forgiven  for  what  we  say  and 
do,  but  nature  exacts  payment  in  full  for  our 
every  thought  and  action.  She  has  no  special 
24 


REPEATING   UNPLEASANTRIES 

providence  nor  favoring  dispensations  in  her 
kingdom,  and  each  thing  or  man  must  stand 
or  fall  with  what  is  strongest  or  weakest  in  it 
or  him! 

Nature  has  endowed  us  all  with  the  gift 
of  giving.  It  is  for  us  to  learn  HOW  to  man- 
age this  gift.  By  knowing  that  we  shall  get 
back  in  kind  that  which  we  give,  we  will 
probably  in  time  become  true  artists  in  our 
distribution  of  gifts.  And  in  doling  out  public 
information  entrusted  to  us,  we  will  learn  in 
that  there  is  a  clean,  sweet  method  of  distri- 
bution. If  our  information  be  a  message  that 
is  comforting  and  encouraging,  it  can  be 
classed  as  truth.  On  the  other  hand,  if  it 
stings  and  hurts  and  angers,  it  is  but  a  half- 
truth,  reflecting  forever  the  messenger  in  its 
shadows,  where  might  have  gleamed  the  sun- 
light of  love  and  pure  confidence,  trust  and 
faith. 


25 


THROUGH  MISTAKE 

Oh,  what  blunders  we  do  make! 
Blunders  caused  through  sad  mistake; 
Knowing  not  what  we  create 
Till  too  late !  till  too  late. 

}o  nob 

Doing  things  we  think  are  best,- 
Missing  often  peace  and  rest; 
Feeling  "This  way  is  the  best" 
Till  we  wake — till  we  wake. 

Till  we  wake  to  Truth  and  Right, 
And  behold  the  perfect  Light 
Hid  so  long  from  our  poor  sight 
Through  mistake,  through  mistake. 


26 


RIGHT  IS  MIGHT 

Cover  Right  up  with  the  shadows 
Of  falsehood,  if  you  will; 

Press  it  beneath  the  billows 
Of  hatred,  it  stays  Right,  still. 

Sink  it  clear  to  the  bottom 
Of  degradation  and  stain, 

But  remember,  cork-like, 
It  shall  rise  again. 

Pierce  your  poisoned  arrow 

Deep  into  its  palm, 
Yet  out  of  its  own  blood  flowing 

Will  be  the  healing  balm. 


27 


THE  CALL  UP  "GLORY  TRAIL" 

"We  face  to  the  front  with  our  heads  held  high, 
Though  the  Winds  of  Hate  go  roaring  by, 
We  shall  not  falter,  we  shall  not  fail, 
Till  we  reach  the  end  of  Glory  Trail." 

O  sings  Anne  Virginia  Culbertson, 
who,  though  an  invalid,  is  following 
the  Glory  Trail  with  a  light  in  her 
soul  that  would  shame  the  luster  of  a 
Texas  moon.  Such  individualities 
show  the  fearful,  doubtful  ones  what  it  means 
to  light  the  lamp  of  the  soul  and  set  it  in  the 
window  of  the  heart  while  they  climb  Glory 
Trail. 

Who  of  us,  when  we  know  of  souls  like 
these,  and  have  a  particle  of  ambition  or  the 
least  bit  of  love  in  our  natures,  can  resist  the 
desire  to  fall  in  line  and  strike  out  a  Glory 
Trail  for  ourselves? 

We  may  not  hope  or  even  wish  to  make  our 
Glory  Trail  a  big  sensation,  still  we  feel  we 
should  do  something  for  ourselves — something 
for  humanity,  when  we  are  convinced  that 
we  are  a  link  in  its  great  chain.  It  is  at  such 
moments  of  meditation  that  we  feel  the  near- 
28 


THE   CALL   UP   "GLORY  TRAIL" 

ness  of  Life  and  are  reminded  of  many  neg- 
lected duties.  When  Life  presses  so  closely, 
we  seem  to  sound  her  secrets,  among  which  are 
heard:  "Glory  Trail,  if  lighted  with  inspira- 
tion of  love  and  confidence  in  Good  and  nour- 
ished by  a  healthy  Will,  may  be  safely  pur- 
sued, and,  at  the  end  of  the  journey,  all  noble 
desires  will  be  found  as  ripened  fruit." 

It  is  the  call !  We  feel  our  feet  set  on  Glory 
Trail,  with  all  of  our  forces  concentrated  for 
the  climb.  But  we  are  told  that  we  will  find 
hovering  around  Glory  Trail  black  clouds  of 
criticism,  and  thunder  of  discouraging  voices 
will  break  upon  the  way;  and  lightning- 
flashes  of  jealousy  will  dart  athwart  the  Trail. 
But  we  are  told,  also,  that  on  Glory  Trail 
shine  the  most  beautiful  stars  of  appreciation, 
and  that  voices  from  on  High  call  down  to  the 
toiling  ones:  "Onward,  comrades,  you  shall 
not  fail;  we  swear  it  who  have  climbed  the 
Trail." 

Those  who  are  on  the  Trail  tell  us,  when  we 
answer  the  call,  we  are  sure  to  feel  the  holy 
presences  of  those  who  have  far  advanced,  and 
that  we  will  receive  their  unselfish,  thoughts, 
and  the  touch  of  their  sympathetic  hands  held 
out  to  us  will  not  fail  to  cheer  us.  It  will  be 
then  that  we  shall  know,  though  the  ascent  be 

29 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

steep,  it  is  not  nearly  so  rough  as  we  had  im- 
agined it,  and  we  will  never  under  any  circum- 
stances want  to  turn  back,  but  will  fully  enjoy 
the  pull  and  the  climb,  because  a  belief  is  given 
us  that  Glory  Trail  is  a  Point  that  God  set 
for  us. 

Those  along  Glory  Trail  are  always  un- 
selfish. There  is  a  comradeship  among  them 
which  bubbles  to  the  surface  of  their  beings 
and  reaches  out  to  the  small  and  weak  and 
draws  them  nearer  to  the  top  of  the  Trail.  All 
along  Glory  Trail  to  the  very  end,  we  are  told 
can  be  found  written:  "Be  strong;  be  brave; 
be  true.  Elbow  no  one;  place  no  stumbling- 
block.  Glory  Trail  is  open  for  all  who 
strive!" 

Life  speaks  again  and  says  that  there  will 
be  struggles  enough  for  those  who  choose  the 
Trail  without  "extras"  added  through  any 
selfish  sources.  It  is  Life  who  assures  us  of  the 
value  of  the  little  things  up  Glory  Trail.  She 
tells  us  that  the  little  kindnesses,  the  little 
courtesies,  gratitude  for  favors  received,  and 
tender  little  smiles  exchanged  are  the  stepping- 
stones  that  insure  safety  up  Glory  Trail. 

It  is  said,  too,  that  one  who  strikes  out  Glory 
Trail  in  the  name  of  Right  makes  rapid  prog- 
ress. And  Love,  it  is  affirmed,  has  planted  all 
30 


THE   CALL   UP   "GLORY  TRAIL" 

along  the  Trail  jewels  of  rarest  thought; 
flowers  from  the  richest  minds,  and  that  there 
resounds  along  the  Trail  the  purest  music, 
furnished  by  the  laughter  of  little  children. 
All  these,  it  is  said,  are  provided  for  those  who 
have  answered  the  call  up  Glory  Trail,  to 
divert  their  attention  from  the  discouraging 
sounds,  and  the  ungrateful  things  done,  and 
to  keep  them  in  tune  with  the  Infinite  One 
who  inspired  one  of  the  Glory  Trail  pilgrims 
to  sing: 

"Our  feet  are  set  on  Glory  Trail, 
We  shall  not  falter;  we  shall  not  fail. 
The  path  is  rough  and  the  way  is  steep, 
But  straight  to  the  Upward  Trail  we'll  keep!" 


31 


LOOK  AHEAD 

Look  ahead,  don't  look  behind  you 
At  mistakes  that  oft'  did  bind  you ; 
They  belong  to  olden  ages — 
Turn  to  Future's  now — white  pages. 

Look  ahead,  a  God-like  being, 
Eyes  aloft,  the  bright  side  seeing, — 
Heart  of  faith,  a  soul  well  knowing, 
There's  no  lost  hope  in  life's  true  sowing! 

Look  ahead  in  Truth  abiding, 
Trust  thy  spirit  for  the  guiding; 
The  way,  you  cannot  lose  it,  never ! 
Follow,  trust  it  aye,  forever. 

Look  ahead,  don't  give  up  trying 
For  the  Goal ;  just  cease  your  crying. 
Smile  and  pray  and  keep  on  going, 
God  will  mark  thy  patient  sowing. 

Life  is  great,  just  keep  on  striving 
'Gainst  the  odds.     You  are  arriving. 
Share  Life's  glories,  and  forever, 
They  are  thine.    No  past  can  sever 

Thee  from  Love  and  Peace,  thy  making. 
Look  ahead,  the  Light  is  breaking ! 

32 


OUR  TRUE  REFORMERS 

"Heaven  forming  each  on  other  to  depend, 
A  master,  or  a  servant,  or  a  friend, 
Bids  each  on  other  for  assistance  call, 
Till  one  man's  weakness  grows  the  strength  of  all." 


UR  nation  is  at  this  time  struggling 
desperately  to  civilize  society;  to  take 
from  it  the  force  of  might  and  supply 
it  with  the  power  of  right.  It  is  using 
every  means  to  balance  the  scales  of 
justice,  so  that  love  and  liberty  will  tip  har- 
moniously in  the  life  of  the  individual.  That 
this  work  may  be  accomplished,  men  and 
women  throughout  our  country  are  working 
singly  and  in  bodies  and  are  looking  hopefully 
to  see  the  perfect  balance. 

From  a  certain  perspective  it  seems  that  the 
web  of  our  present  life  is  made  up  of  faint 
lights  and  dense  shadows,  and  some  of  us,  peer- 
ing through  this  encircling  gloom,  scarce 
know  where  we  are.  It  looks  like  all  the  laws 
of  St.  Custom  are  being  strained  to  the  limit 
through  the  present  process  of  reconstruction. 
No  true  friend  of  humanity  can  lightly  look 
on  the  throng  of  social  workers  without  a  tug 

33 


WINE   FOR  THE  SOUL 

of  anxiety  at  the  heart  and  an  earnest  thought 
of  God  speed  the  cause  of  right! 

What  a  grave  and  delicate  task  this — the  re- 
forming of  character-building  from  cause  to 
effect.  How  many  are  there  who  are  engaged 
in  dealing  out  laws  of  reformation  whose 
minds  are  truly  intelligent  of  those  laws  with 
which  they  are  dealing  and  who  in  thought  are 
pure  and  merciful  to  the  fine  point  of  being 
just?  The  very  coarsest  person  has  in  his  na- 
ture the  feeling  that  the  dealer  of  the  law 
should  be  one  possessed  of  courtesy,  kindness, 
courage  and  wisdom.  A  thoroughly  justified 
feeling.  Surely  the  reformer  should  be  the 
most  careful  person,  a  good  philosopher  and 
a  thorough  student  of  human  nature,  with  a 
positive  knowledge  that  the  human  and  divine 
are  as  closely  associated  as  the  flower  and  the 
stalk. 

Properly  investigated,  it  may  seem  that  some 
of  the  most  unnatural  vices  with  which  the 
reformer  has  to  deal  are  suggested  and  per- 
petuated by  certain  mischievous  customs  which 
are  considered  altogether  fashionable  and  un- 
questionably moral.  The  hasty  denunciatory 
reformer  cannot  afford  to  stand  on  slippery 
places,  would  he  lift  the  one  who  is  below  him. 

The  lesson  of  life  is  to  see  through,  above 

34 


OUR  TRUE   REFORMERS 

and  under  appearances.  Things  seem  to  be 
one  thing  when  they  are  another.  The  impedi- 
ment of  all  reform  is  that  the  inmost  prin- 
ciple of  the  work  in  hand  is  overlooked,  and 
that  is,  that  the  absolute  reform  must  begin 
with  the  formation  of  the  soul  and  body. 

The  idea  of  the  true  sort  of  reformation  is 
not  to  punish  but  to  correct.  All  evils  are  by 
nature  earth-born  and  superficial  and  cannot 
spoil  the  soul  that  is  for  a  time  burdened  with 
them.  Give  the  misguided  one  something  bet- 
ter to  do  and  he  is  relieved. 

Progression  in  time  removes  the  evil  col- 
lected through  the  habit  of  material  thinking. 
Male  and  female  Magdalens  alike,  under  the 
sure  law  of  construction,  will  drop  the  cumber- 
some caterpillar  coat.  The  true  work  of 
reformation  will  be  surer  and  quicker  when 
men  and  women  work  side  by  side  in  its  be- 
half. They  must  share  equally  in  this  beauti- 
ful cause.  Humanity  demands  it.  Imagine  a 
woman  at  the  bar  of  justice  listening  to  a 
woman  accused — a  soul  being  tried  in  the  bal- 
ance, as  is  the  case  always.  Can  you  imagine 
her  mind  stained  by  immoralities  which  she 
is  seeking  to  correct?  Can  you  picture  her 
in  crowded  court  rooms  of  wreathing  tobacco 
smoke  furnished  by  curious  spectators?  No, 

35 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

I  am  sure  that  you  cannot  picture  the  impos- 
sible. A  woman  capable  of  filling  so  impor- 
tant a  place  would  demand  a  clean  environ- 
ment and  orderly  atmosphere,  and  every  man 
and  woman  entering  the  halls  of  justice,  as  all 
places  of  so  much  importance,  would  be  in 
her  presence  looked  upon  as  ladies  and  gentle- 
men until  they  were  proven  otherwise. 

The  time  is  fast  arriving  when  true  reform- 
ers will  enforce  the  law  of  "Cleanliness  is  next 
to  Godliness."  Reformation  is  a  philosophy 
of  perpetual  improvement,  of  changes,  con- 
struction and  progression.  Its  idea  is  not,  as 
I  have  said,  to  punish,  to  condemn,  to  fight 
demons.  Instead,  it  is  to  do  a  positive  work  for 
good.  It  is  to  instruct  and  reconstruct  blighted 
lives  and  to  build  them  into  harmonial  temples 
of  thought,  so  that  they  may  in  this  world,  as 
well  as  in  worlds  to  come,  possess  hospitable, 
happy  homes.  The  work  of  the  reformer  is 
well  on  the  way  and  none  need  feel  discour- 
aged if  they  happen  to  glimpse  the  sea  of  de- 
spondency, for  "the  world-spirit  is  a  good 
swimmer,"  and  the  storms  and  waves  of  a  few 
people's  mistakes  cannot  drown  him  nor  keep 
back  forever  humanity  from  its  sunny  spheres 
of  love  and  liberty. 


36 


THE  POET'S  EAR 

I  have  heard  the  voice  of  the  birches, 
Have  hushed  to  the  Silence's  song, 

Heard  the  whispering  pines  at  night-fall, 
And  the  echoes  of  days  far  gone. 

I  have  read  the  thoughts  of  the  flowers 
When  the  curtained  Night  dropped  low, 

And  the  wind  in  plaintive  sighing 
Complained  where  the  grasses  grow. 

I  have  heard  the  water  breaking 

In  music  over  the  stones, 
And  my  soul  has  filled  with  sweetness 

In  harmony  with  the  tones. 

All  these  have  I  heard,  day  over, 
'Midst  hurry  and  rush  of  life; 

And  wondrous  pure  was  the  living, 
Thus  rendered  void  of  strife. 


37 


FINDING  JOY  IN  THE  COMMON 
THINGS 

"Here  on  the  paths  of  every  day — 
Here  on  the  common  human  way 
Is  all  the  stuff  the  gods  would  take 
To  build  a  Heaven, 
To  mould  and  make  New  Edens." 


S  I  lifted  up  my  eyes  on  the  still  splen- 
did mountains  in  the  distance  this 
morning  and  listened  to  their  wordless 
communion,  I  was  brought  face  to  face 
with  the  silent  Guardian  who  keeps 
faithful  account  of  all  misunderstanding 
hearts.  I  felt  a  quickening  of  my  brain,  fol- 
lowed by  an  energy  which  lifted  me  out  of 
dull  materialism  and  I  found  myself  touched 
by  the  miracle  power  in  the  Common  things, 
which  out  of  sheer  stupidity  we  attempt  to 
link  with  the  ordinary. 

So  few  of  us  know  that  the  common  things 
of  life  bring  us  the  only  true  love  we  ever 
realize.  We  are  so  misled  by  the  artificial 
glare  of  things  that  we  are  unaware  that  our 
common  life  furnishes  all  the  light  and  truth 
we  actually  possess.  We  do  not  know  in  our 
38 


FINDING  JOY  IN  THE  COMMON  THINGS 

life's  upheaval,  that  the  moods  and  changeless 
laws  of  common  nature,  lead  to  the  unfold- 
ment  of  all  that  is  great  and  good  in  us;  that 
the  flower-embroidered  common  earth,  and  the 
common  radiant  heavens  inspire  the  mind  with 
visions  of  hidden  truths. 

From  common  experience,  that  strong  link 
that  holds  together  humanity,  comes  the  secret 
joys  that  make  life  worth  while.  It  is  in  the 
common  sorrow  that  one  finds  the  miracle  of 
sympathy  leads  out  to  the  miracle  of  peace, 
because  sympathy  .through  common  sorrow 
creates  selflessness. 

The  common  worry  thought  and  disappoint- 
ment hold  their  lessons  of  light.  We  finally 
drop  each,  because  we  are  of  the  life  eternal 
which  is  serene.  In  the  great  common  thought 
of  Love,  we  lose  our  spiritual  near-sightedness. 
The  great  common  life  shows  us  how  to  over- 
come our  weaknesses,  by  boldly  stripping  from 
our  personalities  the  garment  of  selfishness. 
This  done,  a  true  and  spiritual  vision  sweeps 
our  universe  and  we  see  things  in  their  right 
proportion,  and  we  awake  to  know  that  every 
disappointment  has  made  us  more  than  we 
were,  not  less.  We  know  it  by  that  feeling 
of  a  deeper  confidence  and  courage  that  nerves 

39 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

us  to  grapple  with  sorrow  and  loss  that  can 
finally  mean  nothing  less  than  our  gain. 

The  common  laws  of  life  mould  us  into 
such  perfection,  that  we  learn,  that  by  one 
touch  of  nature  a  kinship  with  all  life  is 
formed,  and  that  by  such  relations  a  great 
Overwhelming  Force  protects  equally  all  life. 
With  this  truth  lodged  deep  in  our  conscious- 
ness, we  know  that  our  common  days  are  full 
of  the  power  of  love. 

Ah,  Love — the  dear  common  power  that 
holds  together  planets,  and  puts  light  and  heat 
into  suns;  the  power  that  builds  the  silent 
mountains  and  stores  the  green  in  the  leaf ;  that 
scatters  the  gloom  of  our  doubting  and  restores 
lost  friendships  and  reunites  nations,  and  forms 
Declarations  of  Independence,  and  proclaims 
Liberty  and  Justice  for  all,  that  life  may  have 
free  and  perfect  expression. 

Yes,  these  are  some  of  the  joys  that  come 
out  of  the  miracle  power  of  common  love. 

Then  who  would  hug  an  environment  that 
would  close  them  in  from  the  dear  common 
things  of  life?  Rather  let  us  all  awake  and 
rise  to  meet  the  dear  common  things  so  fraught 
with  measureless  energies  of  the  spiritual  uni- 
verse. Fearlessly  let  us  proclaim:  "God  put 
me  among  the  dear  common  things,  these  com- 
40 


FINDING  JOY  IN  THE  COMMON  THINGS 

mon  people,  these  common  duties,  here  in  the 
heart  of  common  nature,  with  the  strength  that 
makes  me  capable  of  rilling  my  place  and 
knowing  that  there  is  no  mistake.  My  life  is 
in  a  splendid  and  proper  setting.  I  will  let  my 
common  days  be  beautiful  with  the  joys  of 
common  cheer,  and  thereby  fulfill  here  the 
purpose  of  my  life. 


41 


SECRET  SERMONS 

There  are  secret  sermons  everywhere ! 
They're  hidden  in  the  vap'rous  air; 
They  are  in  the  rainbow  tints  afar — 
Sweet  sermons  hid  in  the  twinkling  star. 
There  are  wondrous  sermons  in  the  sod, 
Telling  man  of  the  love  of  God. 
The  roaring  sound  in  the  pink  sea-shell 
Conveys  a  mystery  as  well. 
The  stones,  the  trees,  the  running  brooks 
Hold  greater  sermons  than  all  the  books. 
These  secret  sermons  all  might  hear, 
Would  they  but  poise  their  soul's  fine  ear 
And  catch  the  hidden  meanings  well, 
Which  preach  of  Love,  but  naught  of  Hell ! 


42 


THE    RELIGION    OF    THE    "BLUE- 
DOMER" 

Learn  to  look  up.    Thou  hast  not  seen 
One-half  the  beauty  of  a  summer's  sky. 

All  its  soft  depth  of  melting  blue, 

Frames  gorgeous  pictures  for  thine  eye. 


HEN  I  opened  my  eyes  this  morning 
to  the  light  of  summer  dawn,  and  saw 
between  drifting  clouds  the  suffused 
color  of  the  awakened  heavens  and 
heard  the  birds  echo  through  the  soft 
air  their  rapturous  notes  of  freedom,  my  heart 
moved  with  unspeakable  gratitude,  and  I 
thought  how  blessed  it  is,  in  this  age  of  social, 
political  and  religious  unrest,  that  one  can 
touch  nature's  heart  and  feel  peace  and  com- 
fort, though  brief  it  be.  And  quickly  there 
recurred  to  my  mind  a  conversation  of  a  few 
weeks  ago  that  I  had  had  with  a  man  whom  I 
had  met  for  the  first  time. 

This  man  was  truly  a  great  specimen  of 
physical  strength.  Nowhere  about  him,  in 
form,  step,  voice  or  eye,  was  there  the  remotest 
intimation  of  physical  imperfection.  "A  man 
of  affairs,"  was  my  instant  mental  comment  as 
I  regarded  him,  and  such  he  proved  to  be. 

43 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

Not  a  man  of  mediocre  powers,  but  a  man  ac- 
complished in  things  of  actual  value.  Among 
some  of  his  worth-while  achievements  he  had 
served  as  mayor  to  a  thriving  city,  and  I 
learned  later  from  others  that  he  had  filled 
that  office  with  high  honor. 

But  the  thing  that  interested  me  about  him 
most  was  his  wonderful  view  of  life.  So  unso- 
phisticated, so  natural  was  he,  that  I  could  not 
keep  from  asking  questions  of  him.  The  net 
result  of  the  answers  obtained  was  as  follows : 
He  belonged  to  the  religion  of  "Bluedomers," 
whose  temple  of  worship  was  "The  all-out-of- 
doors,  covered  with  the  blue  sky.  Here  I  wor- 
ship daily,"  he  said.  He  had  always  been  able 
to  positively  throw  the  cares  of  experience 
aside  when  he  stepped  out  into  this  great 
temple;  had  always  been  able  to  admire  the 
beauty  of  the  world,  and  to  enjoy  with  deep 
gratitude  the  good  things  that  came  his  way. 

A  worker  from  early  boyhood,  he  had  al- 
ways taken  good  care  of  himself,  guarding  his 
health,  eating  plain  food,  taking  no  strong 
drink,  and  giving  himself  necessary  sleep; 
recognized  the  truth  that  man's  two  great 
enemies  were  hurry  and  worry.  He  had  always 
aimed  to  keep  proper  step — not  too  fast — not 
too  slow — a  gait  that  could  keep  pace  without 
44 


THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  "BLUE  DOMERS" 

drawing  too  heavily  upon  his  reserve.  He 
allowed  only  young  feelings  to  dwell  in  his 
heart;  he  thought  young  thoughts,  and  those 
thoughts  kept  his  mind  bright  and  elastic;  just 
as  his  prudence  had  kept  his  body  sound  and 
vigorous.  He  enslaved  himself  to  nothing,  but 
remained  free,  hopeful  and  full  of  cheer  over 
which  the  years  can  never  prevail. 

I  said  to  myself,  when  this  man  had  gone, 
"Blessed  is  the  man  who  sees,  for  to  him  the 
world  is  beautiful."  If  only  more  people  had 
the  religion  of  the  "Bluedomer,"  truer  wor- 
shipers would  there  be.  There  is  within  you 
something  which  longs  to  get  back  to  nature 
and  feel  the  pulsations  of  her  hidden  life. 
Why  not  cherish  this  yearning  and,  like  the 
"Bluedomer,"  obey  its  call?  Try  it,  anyway. 

Make  it  your  happy  religion  to  look  daily 
with  seeing  eyes  at  the  blue  sky.  Think  that 
the  world  is  not  all  discord.  Let  the  bird's 
song  rouse  the  harmony  in  your  soul.  Have 
ears  for  the  voice  of  the  mountain  and  forest, 
where  laughing  waters  play  and  the  great 
winds  blow.  Breathe  deeply  the  fragrant, 
nourishing  air.  Don't  be  afraid  of  being  too 
poetical — too  idealistic.  There  is  an  intensity 
of  pleasure  one  feels  who  lives  near  nature. 
He  who  is  blind  to  her  beauties  and  dead  to 

45 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

her  harmonies,  lives  a  starved,  pinched  life. 
But  to  live  with  nature's  moods  and  change- 
less laws  will  lead  to  the  unfoldment  of  all 
that's  great  and  good.  By  looking  at  the  beau- 
ties in  life,  man's  heart  is  filled  with  love  and 
honest  desire  and  good  will. 

Let  your  religion  claim  association  with  the 
planets  and  stars,  the  earth  and  all  it  contains. 
Enlarge  your  vision.  Enlist  with  the  "Blue- 
domer,"  and  enter  upon  the  discovery  of  new 
peace,  new  power,  new  joy,  new  love,  and 
allow  yourself  to  be  touched  by  the  divine 
fire  that  will  quicken  your  tired,  dull  brain 
and  make  it  responsive  to  an  energy  which  lifts 
out  of  the  confines  of  the  mere  physical  and 
draws  you  close  to  the  heart  of  being,  thus 
filling  you  with  gratitude  for  the  priceless 
boon  of  life. 


46 


SLANDER 

When  will  the  golden  dawn  arrive 
And  the  angel  of  charity  come 

To  seal  the  poisonous  lips  that  hiss 
With  Slander's  venomous  tongue? 

When  will  the  tardy  conscience  wake 

To  sympathy's  kindly  touch 
And  yield  that  balm  of  mercy,  which 

Its  victim  needs  so  much? 

Oh  !  would  that  holy  spirit  now 

Pour  forth  into  every  heart 
The  oil  of  Truth  and  Justice  fair, 

Known  to  no  slanderer's  mart. 

Could  Love  abide  where  Slander  dwells, 

All  error  then  would  cease ; 
And  each  would  pray:  "Thy  kingdom  come," 

As  taught  the  Prince  of  Peace. 


47 


KEEP  A  GRATEFUL  HEART 

"I  praise  Thee,  while  my  days  go  on ; 
Through  dark  and  dearth,  through  fire  and  frost — 
With  emptied  arm  and  treasure  lost, 
I  thank  Thee  while  my  days  go  on." 


N  a  beautiful  old  book  which  I  have  in 
my  possession,  written  169  years  ago, 
and  published  in  this  country  in  1809, 
entitled  "Self  Knowledge,"  runs  this 
passage :  "It  doth  not  yet  appear  what 
we  shall  be,  if  we  but  keep  a  grateful  heart." 
I  am  quite  in  accord  with  the  thought  that 
the  whole  process  of  mental  adjustment  and 
atonement  can  be  summed  up  in  one  word, 
"Gratitude." 

Many  people  who  order  their  lives  rightly 
in  all  other  ways  are  kept  in  poverty  and  other 
diseases  by  their  lack  of  gratitude.  Having 
received  one  gift  from  the  hand  of  Love,  they 
sever  the  wires  which  connect  them  with  all 
Good,  by  failing  to  make  acknowledgment. 

It  is  easy  to  believe  that  the  person  who  is 

constantly  grateful  lives  in  closer  touch  with 

the  Law  of  Plenty,  than  the  one  who  never 

looks  to  the  Great  Giver  in  thankful  acknowl- 

48 


KEEP    A    GRATEFUL   HEART 

edgment.  Gratitude  alone  can  keep  you  look- 
ing upward  and  forward  and  prevent  you  fall- 
ing into  the  error  of  thinking  in  limitations. 
If  you  are  constantly  grateful,  nothing  nor  any 
one  can  bar  you  from  expressing  the  divinity 
within  you  and  giving  out  a  certain  happiness 
that  endears  you  to  the  multitude. 

Gratitude  may  not  exempt  you  from  trial 
and  sorrow.  To  the  truly  grateful  person,  sor- 
row does  not  destroy  happiness.  Sorrow  is 
one  of  the  broad,  deep  channels  through  which 
the  shining  river  of  happiness  flows.  No  one 
can  know  the  real  miracle  of  happiness  until 
he  has  suffered.  It  takes  a  real  Gethsemane 
of  suffering  to  reveal  to  one  how  splendidly 
brilliant  may  shine  the  gifts  of  joy. 

The  person  who  can  gratefully  accept  what- 
ever comes  into  his  life  sees  far  beyond  appear- 
ance. To  such  a  person,  beyond  the  cloud  is 
always  the  silver  lining.  With  heart  and 
mind  thus  poised  the  cloud  becomes  as  a  shin- 
ing light  along  the  path,  and  a  song  of  praise 
is  wafted  along,  which  lulls  the  pain  and  the 
woe  of  experience,  and  the  sojourner  finds 
himself  in  an  illumined  world  wherein  thieves 
cannot  enter  and  take  from  him  the  gift  of 
happiness. 

Gratitude  can  be  cultivated  in  the  human 

49 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

heart,  for  the  seed  is  always  there,  ready  for 
the  gardener's  hand.  Instead  of  hammering 
with  thoughts  of  vindictiveness  at  disappoint- 
ment as  so  many  do,  it  is  wiser  and  far  safer 
to  take  count  of  the  million  of  small  blessings 
that  come  your  way.  Grateful  people  know 
well  that  around  about  their  lives  are  sweet 
and  pleasant  joys.  Daily  happenings  they  are. 
They  are  cognizant  that  the  simple  greeting  of 
the  friendly  "Good  Morning,"  could  have  as 
well  been  spoken  to  some  other,  as  could  have 
the  many  other  courtesies  which  were  chosen 
especially  for  them. 

So  much  indeed  comes  to  the  most  remote 
person,  for  which  to  give  thanks,  and  to  re- 
mind him  that  "There  is  a  Soul  at  the  center 
of  Nature."  Gratitude  brightens  the  atmos- 
phere of  the  soul  and  wipes  the  fogs  of  delu- 
sions away,  and  causes  the  mind  to  look  over 
Life's  field  and  realize  that  all  winding  paths 
lead  "Homeward."  Gratitude  sets  one  free  of 
selfishness  and  imparts  contentment,  while  one 
"Waits  upon  the  Lord."  It  lends  dignity,  and 
stops  automatic  habits,  and  conserves  nerve 
energy.  Gratitude  puts  forces  into  your  being 
that  take  the  sting  out  of  daily  contacts.  It 
tempers  one  with  sweetness,  and  power  that 
makes  for  high  morality,  noble  character  and 
50 


KEEP  A  GRATEFUL  HEART 

radiates  that  happiness  for  which  all  the  world 
is  seeking.  So  I  would  say,  thrill  yourself 
with  gratitude,  and  there  will  be  no  crisis  too 
great,  no  hill  too  steep  for  you  to  surmount. 

For  the  things  of  life  you  do  not  understand, 
be  grateful,  for  dear  Love  will,  at  the  proper 
moment  make  all  clear.  For  the  things  that 
you  do  understand  be  doubly  grateful.  By 
this  attitude  you  will  change  gloom  to  glow, 
your  loss  to  gain,  and  your  pitying  self  will 
become  like  a  flowing  fountain  of  pleasure, 
peace  and  prosperity. 


51 


WHEN  HEARTS  ARE  TRUE 

When  hearts  are  true,  as  hearts  should  be, 
The  world  will  move  in  unity. 
Hot  hate,  cold  fear,  and  envy  too, 
Will  disappear,  when  hearts  beat  true. 
Fair  Earth  will  join  fair  Heaven  above 
When  hearts  have  learned  that  truth  is  love. 


52 


IS  POVERTY  A  DISEASE? 

"This  mournful  truth  is  everywhere  confessed, 
Slow  rises  worth,  by  poverty  depressed." 


HAVE  been  asked,  and  I  think  with 
all  sincerity,  "Is  poverty  a  disease?" 
With  the  same  sincerity  I  answer,  I 
believe  it  is,  as  much  so  as  rheumatism 
or  typhoid  fever. 
It  was  related  of  King  Solomon,  who  for 
centuries  has  stood  as  the  type  of  wealth  and 
wisdom,  that  he  was  offered  the  choice  of  su- 
preme good  in  any  form  he  wished.  He 
simply  chose  wisdom.  In  consequence  of  that 
gift,  but  not  as  a  reward  of  merit,  as  has  so 
long  been  thought,  Solomon's  wealth  became 
truly  fabulous. 

One  of  the  common  beliefs  of  the  present 
is  that  wealth  is  power.  This  is  untrue. 
Wealth  is  only  an  evidence  of  power.  He 
who  produces  wealth  is  greater  than  the  thing 
produced.  Truth  wisely  handled  produces 
all  wealth — health,  peace,  knowledge,  opu- 
lence. We  have  in  the  word  of  the  great 
apostle,  "Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all 
things,  having  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

and  that  which  is  to  come."  Yet  we  have  con- 
tinued to  associate  disease  and  poverty  with 
godliness,  and  have  even  professed  them  to  be 
necessary  to  the  evolution  of  righteousness. 

However,  we  are  beginning  to  see  that  pov- 
erty and  disease  are  one — springing  from  the 
same  cause,  subject  to  the  same  remedy,  and 
that  cause  and  remedy  are  within  the  indi- 
vidual himself,  and  proceed  from  a  condition 
of  mind.  It  is  perhaps  rather  bold  to  say  that 
poverty  and  disease  are  sins  for  which  the  suf- 
ferer is  responsible.  But  with  all  sincerity  I 
believe  this  to  be  true,  brought  about  by  our 
ignorance  of  the  law  of  love  or  harmony. 

I  have  discovered  in  the  science  of  mind, 
that  the  only  real,  lasting  healing  is  developed 
out  of  personal  responsibility,  resulting  from 
the  absolute  freedom  of  the  individual.  Man 
is  a  responsible  being,  hence  man  should  be 
free  from  poverty,  and  all  disease  and  impuri- 
ties developed  by  inharmonious  thinking. 
Man  is  as  he  thinks. 

Whatever  may  be  said  in  favor  of  poverty, 
the  fact  remains  that  it  is  not  possible  to  live 
a  complete  or  successful  life  if  one  is  sick  and 
poor.  To  possess  a  sound  body,  that  body 
must  have  proper  nourishment  and  comfort- 
able clothing  and  warm  shelter.  A  certain 
54 


Is   POVERTY  A   DISEASE? 

amount  of  rest  and  recreation  certainly  are 
necessary  to  physical  life,  and  our  modern  cus- 
toms are  such  that  man  must  have  money  in 
order  to  get  these. 

There  are  certain  laws  to  be  obeyed  in  order 
to  acquire  the  good  things  of  life,  and  once 
these  laws  are  learned  and  adhered  to,  man 
will  rise  out  of  the  disease  of  poverty  and  be- 
come truly  righteous. 

There  is  one  true  and  certain  way  to  attain 
a  rich,  full  life,  and  it  is  through  thinking, 
desiring,  imagining  and  doing.  Imagination 
is  the  great  creative  force.  It  is  the  power  of 
soul  which  finally  brings  all  things  to  pass.  A 
perfect  body,  quietly,  calmly  and  faithfully 
imaged  in  the  mind,  will  produce  the  ideal  in 
the  physical.  All  wealth,  lovely  friends,  tal- 
ents, a  happy  home,  can  likewise  be  brought 
into  reality. 

Humanity  is  sadly  out  of  tune  because  it  has 
neglected  to  cultivate  wealth  through  the  soul 
senses.  The  materialist  sees  and  feels  only 
with  the  physical  senses,  which  are  very  poorly 
trained  servants.  He  lives  in  effects;  isolated 
from  causes.  We  are  poor  "worms  of  the 
earth,"  because  we  have  been  cramped  and 
mean  in  thought. 

We  have  reversed  the  teachings  of  truth.  In- 

55 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

stead  of  developing  our  soul-qualities  and 
being  free,  we  have  imprisoned  ourselves  in 
limitations;  have  sought  things,  and  not  prin- 
ciples. We  have  dwarfed  our  imaginations, 
and  have  contented  ourselves  with  the  belief 
that  "things"  applied  to  this  life,  and  right- 
eousness to  another,  all  of  which  is  unworthy 
of  a  humanity  that  lives  and  moves  and  has  its 
being  in  God.  Spirit,  soul,  mind  and  body  are 
as  closely  linked  as  is  life  itself.  In  our  silly 
definition  of  life,  we  have  overlooked  life's 
unity. 

I  cannot  bring  myself  to  associate  poverty 
and  disease  with  infinite  goodness  any  more 
than  I  can  make  up  my  mind  to  separate  my- 
self from  God's  love  and  watchful  care.  To 
prepare  ourselves  to  attract  wealth  we  must 
first  rid  ourselves  of  all  feverish,  restless, 
anxious  desire.  Poise  is  power,  the  power 
necessary  for  the  winning  of  any  victory.  We 
must  discern  the  right  and  harmonious  rela- 
tions of  things.  We  must  insist  upon  a  larger 
interpretation  of  life.  We  must  know  that  we 
are  one  with  all,  and  that  within  ourselves  lie 
all  defeat  and  victory;  that  we  are  the  "chosen 
one"  and  very  dear  to  the  heart  of  being,  and 
that  we  need  not  beg  and  supplicate,  for  we 
live  in  the  midst  of  health  and  plenty,  heirs  to 
56 


THE  DIVER 

all  that  God  is.  Thought,  thought,  thought,  is 
the  golden  key  to  wisdom's  storehouse,  but 
thought  must  be  holy,  wholesome  and  heav- 
enly. 


THE  DIVER 

It  is  the  diver,  strong  and  brave, 
Who  dares  to  find  his  coral  cave, 
Fearless  and  alone  he  seeks 
The  treasured  jewel  of  the  deeps. 


57 


WHY  SOME  PEOPLE  FAIL  AND 
OTHERS  SUCCEED 

"Measure  your  mind's  height  by  the  shade  it  casts." 

E  all  know  by  observation  that  some 
people  have  a  way  about  them  that 
makes  for  their  progress  and  success, 
while  others  have  a  way  about  them 
that  repulses  people  and  things  neces- 


sary to  the  attainment  of  their  desires,  and  we 
wonder  why  'tis  so,  since  we  are  taught  that 
God  is  wholly  impartial  with  his  children. 

Among  the  first  mentioned,  are  men  and 
women  who  have  come  from  the  most  ordinary 
conditions  in  life,  starting  out  in  the  race  with 
no  financial  assistance,  few  friends,  little  of  no 
education,  yet  we  see  them  occupying  enviable 
positions.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are  those 
who  begin  life  with  a  fair  amount  of  financial 
backing,  influence  and  excellent  education,  yet 
who  appear  never  to  rise  above  the  ordinary, 
often  losing  the  financial  help  and  influence 
with  which  they  started. 

We  hear  certain  people  spoken  of  as  being 
"unusually  attractive,"  and  when  they  come 
under  our  observation,  we  find  that  it  is  not 
58 


WHY  SOME   PEOPLE   FAIL 

what  they  say,  do,  or  know,  that  impresses  us, 
but  it  is  what  they  are!  It  is  that  "way"  they 
have — that  subtle  something  within  them  that 
electrifies  us  and  makes  us  turn  from  more 
intellectual  minds  and  follow  these  human 
magnets  with  a  willingness  and  pleasure.  As 
we  study  these  attractive  people  we  find  that 
more  times  than  not  they  are  all  unconscious 
of  the  subtle  influence  they  wield.  Their  na- 
tures are  spontaneous  and  childlike.  Of  course, 
there  may  be  exceptions.  We  must  watch  for 
this.  We  note  also  that  these  winning  ones 
are  invariably  optimistic,  cheerful  and  hope- 
ful. If  they  are  confronted  by  misfortune  and 
disappointment  today,  they  are  up  bright  and 
early  on  the  morrow  with  renewed  energies. 
Too,  they  most  always  have  peculiarly  clear 
and  drawing  voices.  Oftentimes  their  manners 
are  quiet  and  unassuming,  conserving,  as  it 
were,  their  powers  for  a  more  proper  time  for 
use.  They  move  around  in  their  little  planets 
as  if  assured  of  being  linked  securely  to  those 
planets  necessary  for  their  harmony  and  suc- 
cess. 

"Magnetic  people"  we  call  these  indi- 
viduals who  marshal  us  into  their  selected 
paths  of  action.  Spiritual  science  tells  us  that 
magnetism  is  an  enveloping  ethereal  force  and 

59 


WINE   FOR  THE  SOUL 

emanates  from  the  soul,  and  that  it  is  warm 
and  healing  in  its  effects,  and  that  electricity  is 
chilling  in  its  effect  and  belongs  to  the  material 
organization — the  body.  Andrew  Jackson 
Davis,  in  his  great  "Harmonial  Philosophy," 
reiterates  that  magnetism  belongs  to  the  ele- 
ment of  spirit  and  electricity  to  the  material 
element,  and  the  two  combined  make  up  the 
organization  of  man.  He  then  says  that  mind 
can  turn  these  creative  energies  into  any  chan- 
nel at  any  time,  when  it  has  learned  the  art 
of  transmutation.  We  do  know  that  all  pow- 
erful forces  rightly  and  intelligently  used  can 
work  wonders  of  good.  The  foregoing  state- 
ment may  help  us  to  somewhat  understand 
why  some  people  "freeze  us  out"  and  others 
warm  and  comfort  us  to  the  point  that  we  are 
willing  to  make  sacrifices  in  order  to  help 
them  toward  the  things  they  desire.  Whether 
they  are  aware  of  it  or  not,  these  magnetic 
beings  have  a  way  of  keeping  close  in  touch 
with  that  source  of  supply  that  furnishes  them 
with  many  privileges  and  joys  that  make  for 
vigorous  living.  If  they  did  understand  their 
precious  powers,  we  can  imagine  what  won- 
derful geniuses  they  would  become.  Ignor- 
ance certainly  destroys  marvelous  forces  in 
man,  and  it  is  the  enemy  to  be  overcome. 
60 


WHY   SOME   PEOPLE   FAIL 

In  an  article  by  the  noted  writer,  Owen  S. 
Marden,  "Why  So  Many  College  Men  Fail," 
might  well  apply  to  others  who  fail.  In  part 
he  writes:  "They  fail  because  they  surrender 
their  own  individuality  and  become  saturated 
with  other  men's  thoughts;  they  mistake 
stuffed  memory  for  education,  knowledge  and 
power,  and  through  language  and  sciences  be- 
come ignorant  of  human  nature."  If  those  of 
us  who  desire  to  increase  our  rate  of  mag- 
netism, that  life  power  that  makes  for  success 
along  constructive  lines,  would  keep  our 
thoughts  a  fraction  above  the  surrounding 
mental  temperature,  we  would  accomplish  our 
endeavors.  Certainly  the  spiritual  forces 
within  us  do  act  upon  the  material  things  about 
us.  It  is  this  spirit  force  that  filters  through 
the  particles  of  our  being  and  makes  us  strong, 
healthy,  athletic,  attractive  creatures,  and,  if 
we  only  had  a  mind  to  draw  on  this  supply 
consistently  and  intelligently,  we  would  be  able 
to  keep  ourselves  looking  respectably  youthful, 
active  and  useful,  until  such  a  time  as  we  were 
willing  and  ready  to  make  that  glorious  change 
of  transition,  where  a  greater  usefulness  is  cer- 
tain to  be  ours. 

I  verily  believe,  that  no  one  while  here  need 
be  repulsive,  ugly,  cross  and  forbidding.  I 

61 


WINE   FOR   THE   SOUL 

believe  all  can  become  radiant  centers  of  won- 
derful attraction.  But  we  must  study  the 
power  of  thought,  and  what  sort  of  mental 
images  we  reflect  on  the  canvas  of  life; 
whether  they  are  tending  to  increase  or  de- 
crease our  powers  of  attraction.  If  magnetism 
be  an  element  of  the  spirit,  we  must  then  live 
nearer  the  spirit  in  consciousness,  would  we 
receive  from  the  spirit  the  blessings  of  a  well- 
rounded  and  wholly  successful  life. 


62 


TO  BE  AND  NOT  TO  SEEM 

There's  just  one  purpose  in  my  life; 

To  be,  and  not  to  seem; 
The  burnt-out  fire-crypts  of  my  heart 

Have  lost  their  crimson  gleam. 

Life's  holiest  lessons  all  are  mine; 

From  touch  so  deep  within 
They  press  to  consciousness  without 

And  plead,  their  cause  to  win. 

Clean  emptied  of  the  worldly  glare, 

My  soul  desires  a  test 
To  prove  its  power,  though  often  crushed 

In  striving  for  the  best. 

To  know  myself,  and,  knowing  this, 

To  be,  and  not  to  seem, 
Must  be  my  soul's  great  ultimate 

Would  I  sweet  Truth  redeem. 

I'll  bravely  reach  far  out  and  give 

And  grasp,  and  dare  to  be 
A  royal  spirit  of  that  One 

Who  mouldeth  Destiny. 


63 


MAKE  OF  LIFE  A  MELODY 

Make  of  life  a  melody — 
Sweet  and  pure  and  strong — 

Then  joyfully  let  it  play 

Through  God's  world  of  song. 


RADIANT  light  is  he  who  can,  in 
spite  of  suggestions  of  calamitous 
minds,  look  out  of  the  windows  of  the 
soul  and  behold  life  full  of  beauty  un- 
touched by  emotional  disturbances  of 
hearts  who  have  not  as  yet  linked  themselves 
with  the  "choir  invisible." 

When  Jesus  said,  "Let  not  your  heart  be 
troubled,  neither  let  it  be  afraid/'  He  meant 
that  peace  and  joy  and  a  life  of  sweet  melody 
should  be  the  result.  Certainly  it  is  in  the 
reach  of  every  one  to  be  at  peace  and  express 
life  in  its  fullness.  And  he  who  would  wrest 
from  the  least  of  God's  children  that  confi- 
dence and  trust,  built  up  by  the  soul  and  which 
frees  from  selfishness  and  fear,  is  guilty  of  a 
serious  wrong  for  which  he  must  pay  a  price. 
Every  individual  is  the  maker  of  his  own 
paradise.  The  peace  that  Christ  gave  to  us  for 
an  everlasting  possession  is  guarded  and  sus- 
64 


MAKE  OF  LIFE  A   MELODY 

tained  only  by  our  thought.  He  who  fixes  his 
mind  steadfastly  upon  making  life  what  he 
desires  it  to  be,  will  in  due  time  realize  the 
product  of  his  desires.  It  is  the  music  within 
ourselves  that  creates  the  music  without.  A 
thousand  roses  bloom  at  dawn  for  those  who 
love  roses.  A  thousand  angels  bless  the  saint 
who  walks  love's  highway.  And  the  faithful, 
fearless  one  knows  quite  well  that  the  waters 
of  life,  disturbed  by  the  pebbles  thrown  from 
the  hands  of  the  ignorant  passerby,  will,  by 
the  natural  law  of  tranquility,  resume  their 
pure  state  of  harmony.  Intelligent  minds 
know  that  life  is  what  one  makes  of  it.  God 
is  in  all  things  and  acts  in  every  possible  way. 

The  fear  of  God  brings  no  blessing  to  any 
living  thing.  It  is  the  law  of  love  that  per- 
forms all  perfect  work  and  brings  to  the  hu- 
man family  the  joys  and  gladness  it  craves. 
As  thought  is  first,  the  discouraged  must  lift 
their  thought  to  the  plane  of  the  beautiful. 
Think  not  that  the  vanished  years  took  away 
your  capacity  for  the  best  in  life,  for  they  have 
not.  The  years  are  all  alike  and  they  take 
nothing  of  vital  need  from  the  soul  that  other 
years  do  not  bring.  Life  is  going  on  forever 
and  does  not  end  at  the  gate  of  earthly  transi- 

65 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

tion.  Let  no  one  frighten  you  nor  retard  your 
progress  with  fears  conjured  up  in  the  shadows 
of  a  human  intellect. 

Spirit  alone  can  interpret  life  and  God,  and 
in  spirit  do  you  live,  move  and  have  your 
being.  Throw  open  the  windows  of  your 
splendid  mind  and  bask  in  the  sunlight  of  life. 
Make  the  most  of  yourself  today  by  clear  and 
orderly  thinking  and  lay  hold  on  the  joy  of  the 
precious  moment  and  the  next  will  be  beauti- 
fully begun,  no  matter  when  you  quit  this 
plane.  Make  yourself  the  perfect  being  that 
you  are  and  stand  upright,  and  the  whole  of 
your  life  will  be  a  beautiful  symphony.  Yes, 
live  in  the  sunshine  and  it  will  invigorate  your 
body  and  vitalize  your  mind. 

There  may  be  much  misery  in  our  land,  but 
we  cannot  lessen  it  by  adding  more.  It  is  only 
by  being  brave  and  cheerful  that  we  may  be 
useful  and  gain  the  lessons  in  store  for  us. 
"Our  progress,"  says  Emerson,  "comes  through 
a  succession  of  teachers,  each  of  whom  seems 
at  the  time  to  have  a  superlative  influence,  but 
it  at  last  gives  place  to  a  new."  Frankly  let  us 
accept  it  all  and  be  grateful  for  what  it  gives. 
Let  us  not  let  go  of  it  until  the  blessing  be  won, 
and  after  a  short  season  the  dismay  will  be 
overpast,  the  excess  of  influence  withdrawn, 
66 


MAKE  OF  LIFE  A   MELODY 

and  there  will  be  no  longer  an  alarming 
meteor,  but  one  bright  star,  shining  serenely  in 
our  heaven  and  blending  its  light  with  our  day. 

He  who  forms  the  habit  of  looking  for  the 
bright  and  happy  side  of  things,  who  sees  the 
gorgeous  color  in  the  grass,  the  sunlight  in  the 
flowers,  who  hears  the  melody  of  the  robin, 
and  the  sermons  in  the  stones,  and  realizes  the 
good  in  everything,  sculptures  his  own  face 
into  beauty  and  adds  a  perfect  grace  to  his 
being.  Such  an  one  can  never  be  detached 
from  eternal  life. 

All  one's  life  is  music,  if  one  but  touches  the 
notes  rightly.  It  is  the  natural  state  of  man  to 
be  free,  happy  and  harmonious,  and  he  can  be 
the  moment  he  tunes  the  instrument  of  self 
to  the  keynote  of  love.  It  is  in  this  wise  he 
makes  of  life  a  continuous  melody. 


67 


FRIENDSHIP'S  RECALL 

If  you  have  lost  a  friend,  dear  one, 

By  sharp  or  hasty  word, 
Go,  call  him  to  your  heart  again, 

Let  pride  no  more  be  heard; 
Recall  to  him  those  happy  days, 

Too  beautiful  to  last, 
And  ask,  if  words  should  cancel  years 

Of  trust  and  friendship  fast? 

Be  true,  despite  your  foolish  pride, 
Before  all  hope  is  gone ; 

Enthrone  your  friend  within  your  heart- 
He's  missed  your  love  too  long  1 

Let  not  reproach,  with  frowning  gaze, 
Knock  at  your  door  in  pain, 

But  nobly  say :    "I'll  bring  him  back, 
My  once-loved  friend,  again." 

And  joy,  sweet  joy,  will  fill  your  breast, 

And  life  will  brighter  shine ; 
You've  to  your  better  self  been  true, 

Hope's  roses  round  you  twine; 
So,  if  you've  lost  a  friend,  dear  one, 

Call !  if  he  answers  not, 
'Tis  then  his  loss ;  your  duty's  done 

And  will  not  pass  forgot. 
68 


THE  FORGIVING  SPIRIT 

"They  most  live  who  most  enjoy, 
Most  love  and  most  forgive." 

ESUS,  our  great  teacher,  who  knew  so 
well  the  art  of  living,  never  failed  to 
urge  upon  the  minds  of  men  the  law  of 
love  and  tolerance  and  the  forgiveness 
of  wrongs  committed.  In  the  realm  of 
permanent  ideals  none  scintillate  more  beau- 
tifully than  the  sweet  spirit  of  forgiveness.  So 
strong  and  powerful  is  this  spirit,  that  it  sweeps 
hate  off  its  material  pedestal  and  covers  it  with 
the  mantle  of  forgetfulness.  This  lovely  spirit 
has  set  its  altar  up  in  the  hearts  of  those  who 
have  overruled  the  flesh  and  its  dark  forces  and 
who  are  able  to  understand  the  meaning  of 
Christ,  love  and  life. 

If  you  will  carefully  observe  unforgiving 
persons,  you  will  find  that  they  possess  unnat- 
ural features.  In  their  eyes  is  a  cold,  steely 
glitter.  About  their  mouths  plays  a  cruel, 
cynical  expression.  Their  faces  generally  have 
a  frosty,  chilly,  pinched  look.  They  have  not 
that  tenderness  of  expression  that  one  expects 
to  see.  They  live  in  a  frigid  zone  of  mentality, 

69 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

weighted  with  garments  of  unreality.  No 
paint,  no  powder,  no  masque,  nor  any  amount 
of  material  wealth  can  hide  the  marks  with 
which  they  have  stamped  themselves. 

Unforgiveness  is  the  twin  sister  of  hate;  and 
hate  is  godlessness,  and  ignorance  is  mistress 
of  them  both.  It  is  a  thoughtful  opportunity 
to  sometimes  watch  with  what  vehemence  and 
seeming  satisfaction  some  persons  express  their 
contempt  for  another  who  has  roused  their  dis- 
pleasure. The  one  who  sees  the  error  of  it  is 
indeed  grateful  for  the  realization  of  "How 
blessed  are  they  who  overcome  self,"  and  who 
can  follow  the  independent  path  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  which  builds  up  the  structure  of  being 
with  love's  healing  forces. 

If  persons  who  stiffen  themselves  and  say, 
"I  cannot  forgive!"  actually  knew  that  through 
this  stubborn  willfulness  they  are  losing  the 
light  from  their  eyes  and  that  a  darkness, 
darker  than  accumulated  midnights,  is  hov- 
ering about  their  souls,  perhaps  they  would 
make  a  supreme  effort  to  understand  the  real 
meaning  of,  "As  you  sow,  so  must  you  reap." 

Certainly  persons  who  indulge  in  conten- 
tions, in  "hitting  back,"  declaring  murderous 
intentions,  sometimes  refusing  to  speak  to  their 
neighbor,  whom  they  are  commanded  to  love 
70 


THE   FORGIVING  SPIRIT 

as  themselves,  are  sipping  poison  and  creating 
mental  microbes  that  will  devour  all  that  is 
worth  living  for,  and  from  which  even  the 
transitional  state  cannot  free  them — not  until 
they  themselves  turn  the  current  of  thought. 
There  is  a  Hermetic  axiom — it  is  very  old — 
which  says,  "It  is  not  what  another  does  to  me 
that  counts,  but  it  is  what  I  do  to  another." 

No  one  who  respects  the  truths  taught  by  the 
gentle  Nazarene  can  hold  in  his  mind  condem- 
nation of  his  brother,  nor  even  think  that  there 
is  a  lasting  place  of  darkness  for  him.  The 
Nazarene's  example  throughout  His  career, 
so  far  as  we  know,  was  clean,  pure  service. 
Through  the  law  of  love  He  recognized  no 
enemies.  As  a  Hermetic,  He  was  calm  and 
dignified,  used  no  slang  phrases,  but  was  care- 
ful of  every  word  that  fell  from  His  lips.  With 
the  cross  on  His  shoulders,  He  conversed 
peacefully  and  lovingly  with  the  multitude 
who  insulted  Him  on  the  way  to  Calvary. 
Kind  and  forgiving  to  the  very  end  was  His 
way.  When  we  as  His  disciples  learn  the  art 
of  thinking,  we  will  know  how  ridiculous, 
how  very,  very  foolish  and  unworthy  is  the 
idea  of  resentment.  We  shall  know  that  poise 
is  all  the  self-protection  necessary.  Yes,  we 
will  one  day  learn,  as  Emerson  says,  that  our 

71 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

own  orbit  is  all  our  task.  How  we  move  and 
act  in  it,  will  prove  life  as  can  no  one  outside 
of  it. 

If  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  then  the 
unforgiving  nature  can  have  no  part  in  it.  In 
love  there  is  no  place  for  resentment  or  self- 
seeking;  no  place  for  haughtiness  nor  any 
egotism.  To  be  highly  respected  of  God  and 
man  we  can  allow  no  frivols  or  false  standards 
or  doctrines  to  steal  from  us  any  spiritual  en- 
joyments that  are  meant  to  strengthen  us  and 
help  us  to  stand  out  as  true  individuals  in  a 
time  that  demands  men  and  women ;  men  and 
women  who  can  lay  aside  all  differences  in 
that  spirit  of  loyalty  to  the  point  of  saying, 
"Forgive  my  mistakes;  they  are  transitory  and 
must  not  disrupt  the  good  work  that  we  are 
set  to  do  together." 

When  we  are  spiritually  sound  no  thought 
or  word  or  act  of  another  can  arouse  vibrations 
of  pain.  Co-operation  is  the  need  of  the  hour 
and  can  be  established  only  by  men  and  women 
of  loyal  natures,  who  are  dominated  by  the 
spirit  that  can  forgive  seventy  times  seven 
times,  and  more,  if  necessary,  and  be  kind. 


72 


MY  ROSARY 

Let  the  beads  of  my  life  be 

Thoughts  of  love,  entirely  free 
From  strife  and  selfishness 
And  all  which  fails  to  bless. 

Let  the  central  thread — my  heart — 
Be  strung  with  truth.    Let  me  impart 

Noble  words  while  here 

In  this  glorious  sphere. 

For  well  I  know  the  after-years 
Ne'er  will  give  me  grief  and  tears, 
If  now  my  rosary  bind 
Loving  thoughts  and  kind. 

THE  PENETRANT  LIGHT 

There  is  no  life,  however  dark, 

But  has  some  ray  of  light; 
There  is  no  soul  so  steeped  in  sin 

But  has  some  thought  of  right. 

No  heart  can  drift  so  far  away, 

E'en  though  on  evil  bent, 
But  that  a  light  will  penetrate 

And  utter  harm  prevent. 

73 


THE    MEANING    OF    BROADMIND- 
EDNESS 

|OME  people  have  peculiar  ideas  of 
what  constitutes  a  Broad  Mind.  It  is 
often  sadly  confused  with  lax-minded- 
ness.  I  have  listened  to  some  very  con- 
fused thoughts  on  the  subject,  some  of 
which,  by  their  repulsiveness,  sent  a  quiver 
around  the  region  of  my  heart. 

If  some  people's  advice  to  "get  out  in  the 
world  and  broaden  your  mind,"  was  obeyed, 
certainly  the  pedestal  of  Morality  would 
crumble  beneath  us.  To  have  a  broad  mind, 
does  not  mean  to  believe  in  everything,  but  it 
means  to  have  power  to  see  the  Right,  the  True 
and  the  Good  everywhere.  It  means  to  sep- 
arate the  wheat  and  the  chaff  in  every  depart- 
ment of  life.  The  broad  mind  is  awake  to  the 
purest,  the  best  and  the  most  beautiful  in  every 
sphere  of  human  experience.  The  broad  mind 
is  also  aware  of  that  which  is  inferior — that 
which  is  destructive,  unclean,  and  positively, 
though  forgivingly,  rejects  it. 

"Broad  minds"  must  learn  that  the  statement 
of  "All  Is  Good"  is,  under  certain  interpreta- 
74 


THE  MEANING  OF  BROADMINDEDNESS 

tions,  a  whole  truth,  but  as  usually  interpreted, 
it  is  one  of  the  most  dangerous  half  truths.  To 
say,  that  all  that  is  real  is  good,  would  be  stat- 
ing the  truth,  but  to  say  or  think,  that  all  tem- 
porary conditions  are  also  good  would  not  be 
true,  consequently  very  unsafe  to  take  into 
one's  daily  living. 

I  have  known  many  so-called  broadminded 
persons,  persons  who  accept  everything  as  "all 
right,"  to  fall  into  some  very  disastrous  pits. 
The  truth  is,  that  many  such  people  start  out 
on  Life's  highway,  with  no  self-knowledge, 
little  experience  and  rush  into  effects,  blind  to 
cause,  and,  in  such  a  state  of  mental  fomenta- 
tion, lose  themselves  in  the  whirlpool  of  de- 
structive thought,  until  common  sense  comes  to 
their  rescue. 

There  is  something  more  in  life  to  the  truly 
broadminded  person  than  those  things  and  con- 
ditions that  appeal  to  the  physical  senses. 
There  are  faculties  in  mind  that  far  transcend 
the  ones  we  usually  employ  in  our  effort  to  be 
broad.  And  since  it  is  our  purpose  in  God's 
great  plan  to  make  the  fullest  and  the  best  use 
of  everything  that  we  may  possess  or  develop, 
nothing  can  be  more  important  than  to  know 
what  to  do  with  those  things  that  lie  just  be- 
yond the  limitations  of  the  present. 

75 


WINE   FOR  THE  SOUL 

Many  may  say  "One  world  at  a  time,"  and 
refuse  to  recognize  what  the  physical  senses 
cannot  now  comprehend,  but  all  must  sooner 
or  later  realize  that  no  step  forward  was  ever 
taken  without  transcending  the  ordinary  and 
penetrating  the  unknown.  So  much  of  this 
"broadmindedness"  which  preys  upon  the 
world  is  known  to  be,  by  higher  developed 
minds,  sheer  narrow-mindedness. 

In  practical  every  day  life,  no  progress  is 
possible  unless  we  strive  to  go  beyond  the 
ordinary  present,  because  in  all  things  the 
greater  lies  always  above  us  and  beyond  our 
physical  means.  There  is  a  superior  reality 
for  the  broad  mind  to  comprehend  before  it 
can  yield  a  sweet  satisfaction.  No  mind  can 
broaden  with  the  common  husks  of  mortality 
for  food.  To  develop  a  broad  mind  is  to  un- 
derstand the  different  phases  of  life  about  us, 
what  they  have  in  actual  worth,  how  weak  or 
strong  they  make  us,  how  much  lasting  power 
they  really  give  us. 

It  is  with  clear  understanding  that  we  learn 
the  truth  of  broadmindedness — and  its  moral 
effect  upon  our  lives  and  the  lives  of  those  who 
intimately  touch  us,  and  upon  society  gener- 
ally. Through  a  properly  broadened  mind  we 
learn  how  to  use  things  and  how  to  gain  the 
76 


THE  MEANING  OF  BROADMINDEDNESS 

power  to  produce  what  results  we  may  desire. 
It  is  every  one's  opportunity  and  right  to 
live  a  well  rounded,  clean,  wholesome  life,  and 
only  such  a  life  can  be  considered  as  belonging 
to  a  broad  mind.  All  others  are  false  and 
dangerous,  for  which  no  well  disposed  person 
can  dare  pay  heed.  Only  persons  who  live, 
think  and  work  in  harmony  with  God's  pure 
will  can  broaden  their  lives  to  the  degree  of 
doing  everything  that  is  necessary  to  the  fulfill- 
ment of  that  obligation  which  life  has  imposed 
upon  them. 


77 


ACROSS  THE  PATH 

'Tis  just  a  little  way  across  the  road  to  Kindness — 
Just  a  little  way  where  we  can  lose  our  blindness ; 
The  blindness  of  distrust  with  which  we  treat  each 

other ; 
If  we  would  cross  this  path,  we'd  often  meet  a 

brother. 

'Tis  just  a  little  way  across  where  Love  is  call- 
ing; 

Just  a  step  or  two — no  more — where  tears  are 
falling; 

Just  a  tender  beating  of  hearts,  and  hate  gives 
way — 

Oh,  then's  the  time  to  act,  while  Love  is  holding 
sway! 

So  easy  then  it  is  to  cross  the  path  to  Kindness ; 
So  simple  then  it  is  to  lose  our  stubborn  blindness, 
When  burdened  hearts  to  us  in  love  and  pain  are 

calling; 
"Come  across  the  way,  for  there  sad  tears  are 

falling ; 

You  are  the  needed  one — come  on  across  the  line, 
The  path  lies  open  wide  for  thee  and  thine." 
'Tis  just  a  little  way  across  the  path  to  Kindness — 
Just  a  little  way,  where  all  may  lose  their  blind- 
ness. 
78 


KINDNESS  A  FINE  ART 

T  was  delightful  to  hear  a  sweet-faced 
woman  remark  at  a  literary  club — 
while  she  plied  her  knitting  needles  to 
a  gray  scarf — that  polite  people  are  al- 
ways kind  and  that  there  is  no  excuse 
for  persons  to  be  sharp  of  tongue,  even  when 
they  are  compelled  to  deliver  sharp  truths. 

In  my  investigations  I  have  found  that  a 
marvelous  strength  lies  back  of  a  kind  heart. 
I  am  not  referring  to  that  spasmodic,  incon- 
sistent sort  of  kindness  that  sometimes  exudes 
itself  for  selfish  reasons,  but  I  am  speaking  of 
that  pure,  sincere  quality  that  cannot  be  coun- 
terfeited; that  which  has  the  Midas  touch  that 
enriches  life  and  proves  a  balm  in  Gilead. 

I  am  certain  that  the  majority  of  thinkers 
will  agree  with  me,  when  I  say  that  the  best- 
looking  people  are  the  kindly  disposed.  Some 
of  them  may  not  at  first  sight  appeal  to  the  eye, 
but  as  you  associate  with  their  beauty  of  dispo- 
sition, and  fall  under  the  influence  of  their 
thoughtful  natures,  you  gradually  find  your- 
self admiring  their  unusual  grace  of  form  and 

79 


WINE   FOR  THE  SOUL 

feature.  There  is  just  that  something  about 
them  which  is  alluring,  and  you  feel  so  safe 
and  at  ease  in  their  protective  atmosphere. 

At  times  it  may  seem  a  very  small  thing  to 
give  or  receive  a  kindness,  because  it  appears 
to  be  something  belonging  to  the  common  or- 
der of  things.  True,  it  amounts  to  just  a 
thought  expressed  in  a  word  or  an  act,  but  oh, 
my!  the  untold  joy  it  often  brings.  Well  do 
we  know  that  this  dear  old  world  is  held  in 
place,  preserved  from  chaos,  by  the  law  of 
kindness.  And  those  persons  who  are  respon- 
sive to  this  law  are  the  world's  artists.  For,  like 
the  artists  who  paint  themselves  into  their 
works,  kind  persons  are  ever  putting  them- 
selves and  their  own  characters  into  the  lives 
of  those  about  them,  although  it  may  not  al- 
ways appear  so.  The  spirit  of  kindness  in  con- 
tact with  a  sharp  tongue,  may  seem  to  lose  its 
power,  but  the  influence  of  love  is  far  more 
positive  than  any  apparent  antagonist. 

The  gross,  the  bizarre,  the  sensitive,  the  deli- 
cate, will  all  come  out  on  the  canvas  of  life  and 
in  tones  you  cannot  mistake.  The  face,  the 
texture  of  the  skin,  the  light  in  the  eyes,  the  set 
of  the  lips,  the  curve  of  the  chin,  all  index  the 
character  of  the  artist.  You  need  no  "Woman 
of  Endor"  to  tell  you  who  is  who.  He  who 
runs  may  read.  It  is  all  very  simple. 
80 


KINDNESS  A  FINE  ART 

And  culture,  of  which  we  hear  so  much,  un- 
less centered  in  the  heart  and  mind,  is  not  cul- 
ture, and  can  never  bring  that  soul-satisfying 
joy  for  which  all  yearn.  Those  possessing  real 
culture  are  never  idle,  lonely  or  forgotten,  but 
are  always  in  demand.  So  strong  and  reliable 
are  they,  that  the  world  is  ever  ready  to  shower 
upon  them  honor  and  distinction.  Organized 
and  disorganized  minds  alike  seek  them.  They 
are  like  a  balance  wheel  in  the  whirl  of  life. 
They  can  shoulder  the  worries  and  misfortunes 
of  others  without  assuming  the  conditions  of 
such.  They  know  how  to  keep  themselves 
free,  and  the  poise  and  patience  of  these  kindly 
beings  make  them  the  saviours  of  the  world. 
This  great  truth  was  made  plain  by  Buddha 
Gautama,  at  the  close  of  his  spiritual  life, 
when  he  was  asked  by  his  faithful  disciple, 
Ananda,  who  would  be  the  next  great  Teacher, 
and  how  would  he  be  known.  Buddha's  reply 
was  that  he  would  be  known  as  Maltreya, 
which  means,  he  whose  name  is  Kindness. 
Those  who  review  the  life  of  Jesus  know  that 
in  every  instance,  even  when  sharp  truths  de- 
manded emphasis,  Buddha's  prophecy  proved 
true.  The  quiet,  peace-loving  Man  of  Gali- 
lee demonstrated  culture  in  the  highest  sense 
and  gave  us  the  most  beautiful  lesson  in 
kindness,  which  he  practiced  in  all  sincerity 

81 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

and  truth,  and  which  has  made  humble  fisher- 
men and  kings  honor  him  for  almost  two  thou- 
sand years. 

Kindness  is  one  of  Wisdom's  ways,  which 
knows  no  age  and  heeds  no  time.  It  can  be 
easily  cultivated  in  the  secret  chambers  of  the 
heart,  and  given  outwardly  in  the  most  prac- 
tical way,  and  I  fearlessly  state  that  there  is  no 
living  thing  that  will  not  in  time  respond  to 
its  magnetic  touch  of  Love,  and  in  turn  give 
back  to  life  its  refining  influence,  thus  bearing 
me  out,  that  Kindness  is  a  fine  art —  a  very  fine 
art. 

PROTECTION 

I'll  make  my  heart  a  little  bower, 

For  sunny  glints  to  play ; 
And  when  the  dark  comes  on  tomorrow, 

My  feet,  Life's  path  will  ray. 


82 


IN  THE  HEART'S  TWILIGHT 

Our  deepest  life  is  when  we  are  alone. 

'Tis  then  we  live  the  best,  think  thoughts  most 

true. 
Here,  in  the  mystic  abyss  of  the  soul, 

We  clearer  see  through  creeping  shadows  blue. 

We  think  of  loved  ones,   and  softly  they  draw 

nigh; 

'Tis  often  with  half-pain  we  feel  them  near. 
Here  in  the  twilight  of  the  heart  we  know, 

There   is   something   truer,    something   doubly 
dear. 

In  this  magic  solitude,  alone, 

We  feel  the  hero  touch  of  our  beloved  friend, 
That  each  living  contact  robbed  us  in  its  life, 

And  makes  us  know  at  last,  true  love  can  never 
end! 


83 


"IN  THE  DESERT  OF  WAITING" 

"With  aching  hands   and  bleeding  feet, 
We  dig  and  heap — lay  stone  on  stone. 

We  bear  the  burden  and  the  heat, 

Of  the  long  day  and  wish  'twere  done. 

Not  until  the  hours  of  light  return, 
All  we  have  built  do  we  discern." 


HERE  is  not  one  in  life's  great  broth- 
erhood who  is  spared  the  griefs  and 
discouragements  in  the  "Desert  of 
Waiting,"  a  place  where  all  at  some 
time  are  destined  to  dwell. 
As  we  wend  us  along  its  weary  way,  we  meet 
the  many  who  are  worn  by  the  stamp  of  trial 
and  test.  It  is  by  our  own  baffled  hopes  and 
heartaches  that  we  are  brought  in  closest  sym- 
pathy with  our  discouraged  brothers. 

On  some  of  the  faces  we  meet  in  "The  Des- 
ert of  Waiting,"  are  seen  the  lines  of  patient 
resignation,  on  others  bitterness  and  rebellion. 
And  as  we  behold  them,  we  are  reminded  of 
that  inspired  little  book  called  "In  the  Desert 
of  Waiting,"  and  wish  that  the  disheartened 
one  might  rest  in  the  midst  of  the  Desert  and 
review  its  beautiful  and  hopeful  pages.  The 
lesson  that  it  teaches  is  full  of  wisdom  for  those 
84 


IN  THE   DESERT   OF   WAITING 

who  are  struggling  with  coarse  materialism 
and  untruth. 

How  blind  we  are  oftimes.  How  unmind- 
ful are  we  that  the  spirit  of  love  is  sitting 
nearer  us  than  hands  and  feet — here  in  our 
"Desert  of  Waiting."  It  takes  the  illumined 
soul  to  see  God  in  the  cloud  and  to  hear  His 
footsteps  in  the  desert,  and  know  that  often 
man  is  nearest  his  own  best  good  right  where 
good  seems  not  to  be.  When  man  wakes  to 
this  illumination  the  desert  becomes  abloom 
with  fairest  blossoms,  and  cooling  streams 
thread  their  way  across  the  scorching  sands ;  a 
new  power  of  interpretation  voices  the  strange 
waiting  and  in  the  distance  loom  the  gates  of 
the  City  of  the  Real,  where  each  will  arrive 
with  a  clear  understanding  in  due  time — after 
the  lessons  are  learned. 

While  we  wait  for  this  spiritual  illumina- 
tion, we  must  not  allow  our  strength  to  go  from 
us.  We  must  be  brave  and  strong.  Through 
the  hard  experience  of  waiting  we  must  think 
clearly  of  right.  For  it  is  through  clear  think- 
ing that  we  can  act  promptly  and  decisively 
and  win  the  mastery  over  false  thought.  It  is 
through  thinking  clearly  that  understanding 
comes.  We  cannot  afford  to  yield  our  strength 
to  the  desert,  for  we  must  gain  the  beautiful 
city  ahead. 

85 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

Love  and  a  willingness  to  serve  those  less 
strong  than  we,  will  add  to  our  strength  in 
attainment.  In  the  Desert  where  hard  lessons 
are  learned,  we  feel  very  often  that  we  are 
wasting  our  time.  We  allow  ourselves  to 
think,  as  we  labor  for  others  and  give  them 
the  best  we  have,  and  receive  in  return  so  much 
unkindness,  that  love's  labor  is  lost.  It  takes 
a  great  soul,  endowed  with  much  courage,  to 
be  patient  at  such  a  time.  But  the  great  first 
cause — the  power  behind  all  things — will 
work  all  out  with  honor  and  glory. 

The  gift  of  "The  Desert  of  Waiting,"  with 
its  trying  experiences,  is  the  lesson  of  patience, 
one  of  the  strongest  endowments  of  the  soul. 
Patience  is  the  guardian  angel  at  the  door  of 
peace.  We  are  taught  always  to  look  for  the 
light,  for  guidance  for  the  law  of  conduct,  not 
in  the  outward  world  at  all,  but  in  the  inner 
chamber  of  the  heart.  Peace  or  happiness 
cannot  be  found  in  any  ceremonial  observance, 
but  it  is  found  in  a  certain  manner  of  thinking, 
in  a  mode  of  feeling  and  behaving  inwardly. 
Being  tender  and  truthful,  forgiving  and 
grateful  for  friendships  in  times  of  need  are 
the  agents  of  the  soul  which  liberate  us  from 
"The  Desert  of  Waiting,"  and  bring  us  at  last 
to  realize  our  highest  desires. 

86 


WHEN  A  MAN  IS  DOWN 

When  a  man  is  down,  the  thing  he  needs 
Is  a  ready  lift,  not  prayers  and  creeds. 
When  he  is  on  his  feet  again 
Your  prayer,  your  creed,  will  be  made  plain. 

A  hand  extended  is  worth  more 
To  one  who's  down,  than  saintly  lore ; 
'Tis  the  lift  he  needs,  to  set  him  free — 
Mere  words  are  but  a  mockery. 

Our  prayers  and  praise  may  all  sound  nice, 
But  a  loving  lift  is  the  best  advice; 
It  raises  more,  when  a  man  is  down, 
Than  the  glowing  lure  of  a  royal  crown. 


87 


BUILDING  A  CITY  BEAUTIFUL 

I  built  me  a  city  beautiful;  a  Diana's  temple  fair. 

It  was  strong  and  white  and  solid ;  not  a  weak  spot  anywhere. 

Its  cornerstone  was  "Morals,"  blocked  out  of  Life  itself, 

Through  toil  and  pain  and  sorrow,  in  a  fight  against  mad  pelf, 

I  saw  it  grow  in  splendor,  as  a  lily  pure  and  strong, 

And  to  it  safely  gathered  a  wondrous,  mighty  throng. 

HERE  is  no  person  who  would  not 
want  to  boast  himself  a  resident  of  a 
beautiful  city,  peopled  with  alert,  pro- 
gressive souls  who  stand  for  all  that  is 
high-classed  and  good.  And  well  does 
the  thinking  one  know  that  such  a  city  is  cre- 
ated through  physical  and  moral  treatment. 

Just  now  there  seems  to  be  hovering  over 
every  American  city  and  town  a  spirit  of  un 
usual  intelligence,  asking,  "How  can  local 
crime  and  poverty  be  extirpated?"  Surely  this 
question  is  an  exciting  appeal  to  the  sympa- 
thies of  every  individual,  and  puts  the  sincere 
reformer  to  a  most  serious  test.  But  the  prac- 
tical reformer  who  strives  to  live  the  true  life 
of  home,  city  and  government  knows  very  well 
that  his  duty  is  to  live  and  exercise  certain 
principles  that  are  innately  his.  And  unless 
his  home  and  his  city  reflect  such  principles  of 


BUILDING  A   CITY   BEAUTIFUL 

love  and  reformation  he  has  failed  greatly  in 
those  principles  for  which  he  should  account, 
and  for  which  home,  city  and  country  cannot 
excuse  him,  in  his  failure. 

Certainly  this  is  a  time  of  self-analysis  and 
the  realization  of  the  necessity  of  unity, 
wherein  lies  the  strength  to  develop  all  great 
things.  This  is  the  age  when  the  idealist  must 
walk  boldly  out  in  flesh  and  blood  and  voice 
those  things  so  long  pictured  in  his  mind,  of 
cities  fair  and  beautiful.  It  is  high  time  for 
him  to  live  in  deeds  and  exemplification  of 
fraternal  love  and  distributive  justice,  and 
thus  become  the  practical  reformer.  Such  a 
course  of  action  on  the  part  of  the  reformer 
will  make  it  hard  to  live  out  uniformly  the 
principles  of  justice  which  reside  in  his  soul. 
But  nevertheless  we  have  had,  and  have  now, 
a  number  of  examples  of  practical  philan- 
thropy. 

The  city  beautiful  must  have  for  its  founda- 
tions brave  hearts  and  truth-loving  minds; 
minds  that  are  clean  in  their  own  thought 
world.  It  is  only  such  hearts  and  minds  that 
can  free  the  streets  and  by-places  of  mendicants 
and  impostors,  vice  and  ignorance.  Such  high- 
classed  minds  banded  together  form  what 
every  city  must  have — would  it  grow  in  sym- 

89 


WINE   FOR  THE  SOUL 

metry  and  grace — a  "moral  police/'  who,  as  a 
body  of  men  and  women — yes,  women — will 
do  a  positive  good  for  humanity  and  for  the 
sake  of  principle.  This  moral  police  must  work 
as  a  part  of  the  legal  or  municipal  police. 
Clergymen  and  laymen,  good  men  and  good 
women  and  all  benevolent  societies  who  desire 
the  good  of  a  city,  must  compose  this  Christ- 
like  band  of  brothers.  The  impulse  of  hon- 
esty and  true  justice  for  all  must  dilate  their 
hearts  and  energize  their  movements.  Let  the 
moral  police  be  spiritually  remunerated  with 
an  internal  consciousness  of  well  doing.  Let 
their  pecuniary  remuneration  flow  from  the 
new  streams  which  will  be  thrown  open  and 
compose  the  copious  contributions  to  the  new 
movement.  This  cleansing  body  of  men  and 
women  should  not  number  one  biased  or 
hysterical  mind. 

No  "clean  up"  of  a  city  can  be  cleaner  than 
the  minds  that  are  working  in  the  process. 
For  the  sake  of  the  general  health,  refinement 
and  civilization,  let  the  entire  city  be  cleansed 
and  beautified;  let  the  street-sweeper  be  justly 
remunerated  for  his  labor.  Remember  that 
poverty  breeds  vice.  Let  occupations  be  so 
well  selected  and  so  well  executed  as  to  encour- 
age the  laborer  to  do  honor  to  the  executive 
90 


BUILDING  A   CITY   BEAUTIFUL 

committee  and  make  proud  the  spirit  of  refor- 
mation everywhere. 

America  is  now  most  truly  the  lighthouse  of 
the  world  and  should  become  its  example.  The 
clouds  of  old  things  are  passing,  and  her  intel- 
ligence, freedom  and  generosity  and  sparkling 
spirituality  must  bless  the  unadvanced  multi- 
tudes, and  accomplish  that  which  her  democ- 
racy seeks  to  adjust.  But  certainly  America's 
home  cities  must  reflect  that  high  standard  of 
morality  and  beauty  that  will  lift  those  cities 
and  nations  beneath  her.  Out  of  our  American 
hearts  must  flow  those  divine  treasures  of  truth, 
that  will  build  lasting  and  strong  our  own 
cities.  It  is  a  delicate  task,  but  a  very  possible 
one.  One  to  be  most  carefully  thought  out, 
and  backed  by  an  enthusiasm  not  born  of  wild 
excitement  of  a  day's  duration. 

We  must  remember  that  flowers  must  bloom 
in  our  minds  first,  before  they  can  go  as  gifts 
to  our  neighbor.  So  runs  the  law  of  order,  in 
the  individual,  the  home  and  our  cities  beau- 
tiful. 


LEARN  TO  LOOK  UP 

Learn  to  look  up.    You  have  not  known 
One-half  the  beauty  of  a  summer  sky. 

All  its  soft  depths  of  melting  blue 

Frames  gorgeous  pictures  for  your  eye. 

Learn  to  look  up,  and  list  the  tone 
Awaking  from  the  vast  unknown ; 

But  nestle  near  to  Nature's  breast 
And  find  in  her  a  joyous  rest. 

Learn  to  look  up,  till  you  have  glanced 
Into  the  Face  that  lights  the  day ; 

Then  never  will  your  spirit  fret, 

Your  feet  shall  never  lose  their  way. 


NEVER  BECOME  DISCOURAGED 
WITH  YOURSELF 

"Courage — an  independent  spark  from  Heaven's  bright  throne, 
By  which  the  soul  stands  raised,  triumphant,  high,  alone." 


N  striving  to  become  acquainted  with 
one's  self,  it  is  wonderful  to  see  how 
many  sides  there  are  to  us.  Different 
experiences  call  out  different  expres- 
sions of  our  nature.  To  "Know  Thy- 
self," is  indeed  a  marvelous  undertaking. 
Truly  we  are  each  a  wealth  of  hidden  treas- 
ures, but  it  seems  sometimes,  as  a  young  man 
said  to  me,  that  we  turn  out  a  lot  of  useless 
rubbish.  So  does  the  gold  mine.  The  latent 
forces  within  us  seem  to  have  so  arranged  mat- 
ters, yet  it  is  all  right,  for  Truth  can  work  us 
nothing  but  good.  Raphael  needed  the  com- 
mon clay  out  of  which  to  work  his  immortal 
glories  of  art.  And  no  doubt  the  master 
sculptor  made  many  mistakes  and  spoiled 
many  pounds  of  clay  before  he  forced  through 
it  the  ideal  toward  which  he  was  working.  But 
we  have  no  record  of  his  discouragements. 
He  kept  right  on  with  the  "common  clay," 
building  stronger  and  surer  and  more  beauti- 

93 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

ful  the  images  of  his  wondrous  mind.  Had 
Raphael  succeeded  at  once,  the  world  would 
have  never  known  the  many  sides  to  his  art- 
nature.  And  so  it  is  with  us  all. 

There  are  inexhaustible  storage  batteries 
in  every  human  being,  and  it  is  knowing  our- 
selves through  experience,  through  contact 
with  life's  many  phases,  that  we  find  out  that 
nature  has  endowed  us  richly.  We  need  all 
the  experiences  that  come  to  us — all  the  sides 
to  our  natures  to  help  us  to  unfold  the  soul's 
powers.  And,  when  we  resolve  to  defy  defeat 
and  smile  at  dangers,  nothing  can  long  stand 
in  our  way  to  victory. 

More  and  more  I  am  convinced,  that  man 
is  the  most  unexplored  of  all  Realities.  He 
has  scarce  begun  to  touch  the  stars  in  their 
orbits  and  place  them  in  view  by  his  creative 
genius.  With  mind  thoroughly  unfettered, 
man  will  launch  himself  upon  the  shoreless 
sea  of  Knowledge  where  his  Great  Spirit  will 
unlock  all  the  secrets  of  creation.  He  will 
prove  himself  unconquerable,  and  will  become 
in  time  a  miracle  of  achievement. 

No  difference  what  happens  to  you,  don't 

allow  yourself  to  become  discouraged,  for  you 

never  can  tell  what  moment  your  "lucky  star" 

will  burst  upon  the  horizon  of  your  being. 

94 


NEVER  BECOME  DISCOURAGED  WITH  YOURSELF 

Whatever  you  are  trying  to  become  of  use  to 
the  world,  take  your  desire  and  create  it  into 
reality.  Lift  your  heart  and  mind  from  the 
tomb  of  limitation,  disappointment,  despair 
and  doubt.  These  are  infections  of  Fear.  Let 
the  shining  light  of  Inspiration  filter  through 
your  sluggish  energies.  However  crude, 
rough,  starved  or  crushed  your  desires  may  be, 
set  your  imagination  to  work  and  visualize 
them  with  the  divine  illumination  of  yourself, 
and  enliven  them  with  faithful  work. 

Life's  sun  is  but  risen  for  you.  You  are  not 
too  old  and  played  out.  Keep  your  desires 
high,  noble  and  strong,  and  youth,  vigor  and 
endurance  will  return  to  you,  and  new  king- 
doms will  open  their  spaces  to  you.  Obsess 
yourself  with  no  notion  that  you  can't  perform, 
or  that  you  are  not  free  to  attain  the  heights. 
You  are  your  own  victim ;  no  one  can  hold  you 
back,  if  you  will  to  go  forward. 

Become  acquainted  with  yourself,  for  it  is 
the  purpose  of  your  life.  The  many  sides  to 
you  possess  marvelous  possibilities.  Only  be- 
lieve in  them.  Life  has  need  of  you,  so  stop 
doubting. 

Arm  yourself  with  sincerity,  courtesy,  kind- 
ness and  joy,  and  with  your  desires  march  up- 
ward and  onward,  an  inspiration  to  the  world 
in  which  you  are  privileged  to  live. 

95 


WHAT  DOESN'T  PAY 

It  doesn't  pay  to  storm  and  fret 
And  kindness  in  your  heart  forget; 
It  doesn't  pay  to  hunt  the  wrong 
In  erring  friends  who  pass  along. 

It  doesn't  pay  to  say  mean  things — 
They're  sure  to  hurt  like  adder  stings. 
It  doesn't  pay  to  frown  on  those 
Who've  drunken  deep  of  bitter  woes. 

It  doesn't  pay  to  storm  and  fret 
Nor  darken  life  with  vain  regret; 
But  this  one  thing  I  know  and  say : 
Be  tender,  kind;  for  that  does  pay! 


96 


THE  GREATER  WEALTH 

SPLENDID  editorial  of  recent  date 
tells  about  a  man  who  buried  his  soul 
while  he  went  out  into  the  world  to 
achieve  a  fortune  and  satisfy  his  ambi- 
tion. It  goes  on  to  say  that  the  heart 
of  this  money-getting  man,  "whose  eyes  were 
fixed  on  gold,"  was  painfully  empty,  even  after 
he  had  gained  all  that  he  had  buried  his  soul 
for.  In  the  end  it  was  revealed  that  this  man's 
soul  by  being  covered  up  so  long  with  the  dirt 
of  selfishness  had  died,  leaving  him  void  of 
the  finer  senses  of  feeling  and  self-respect. 

This  is  one  instance  of  many  where  the 
acquirement  of  money  causes  man  to  lose  the 
real  appreciation  of  wealth,  instead  of  gaining 
the  joy  that  should  come  with  it. 

Money  or  any  material  thing  sought  without 
the  pure  association  of  the  soul  and  sanction 
of  the  spirit,  will  certainly  prove  coals  of  fire 
in  the  hands  of  one,  that  will  burn  and  scorch 
and  sear  the  soul  to  the  degree  that  he  will 
lose  all  in  his  nature  that  once  was  good  and 
true.  And  to  make  up  for  it  he  must  try  the 
journey  all  over  sometime,  somewhere. 

97 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

There  is  wealth  for  all.  Plenty  for  every 
living  being.  But  there  is  a  royal  way  to  it. 
That  way  is  the  way  of  truth,  which  provides 
life,  light,  love  and  goodness,  and  the  heart 
that  honors  these  cannot  miss  the  way  to 
wealth.  When  one  follows  this  path,  one  will 
have  no  occasion  to  be  frightened  from  it. 
They  know  that  this  path  is  safe  and  certain. 
Neither  will  they  fear  to  speak  out  boldly  in 
defense  of  it  if  the  occasion  demands,  though 
the  wolves  of  materialism  howl  outside  the 
path. 

Invariably  does  God  present  each  with  a 
gift  as  a  means  to  guide  him  along  the  royal 
way.  If  it  be  used  to  the  honor  and  glory  for 
which  it  is  intended,  it  will  provide  all  neces- 
sary comforts  for  the  individual  while  he 
accumulates  the  greater  wealth.  Moreover  it 
will  prove  a  protection  in  all  tests  and  trial. 

In  the  fullness  of  the  word,  success  means 
to  come  into  possession  of  a  well-formed  char- 
acter; to  be  able  to  discriminate  between  that 
which  raises  and  lowers  one's  being;  to  be  able 
to  keep  a  firm  grip  on  the  pure  and  lofty  things 
of  life,  despite  opposing  forces.  To  do  this 
takes  strength.  This  is  the  process  in  the  at- 
tainment of  the  greater  wealth. 

Money  getting  in  itself  is  not  wealth.  It  has 
98 


THE  GREATER  WEALTH 

been  well  called  unhealthy  when  it  impov- 
erishes the  mind  and  dries  up  the  sources  of 
the  spiritual  mind;  when  it  extinguishes  the 
sense  of  beauty,  art  and  poetry;  when  it  blunts 
the  moral  senses  and  confuses  the  distinction 
between  right  and  wrong;  when  it  stifles  out 
religious  impulses  and  blots  out  all  thoughts 
of  God  from  the  soul. 

It  is  sometimes  of  God's  mercy  that  men  in 
their  eager  pursuit  of  wealth  are  baffled.  They 
are  like  a  locomotive  running  down  hill,  to 
apply  the  brakes  is  unpleasant,  but  it  helps  to 
keep  the  engine  on  the  track  and  saves  from 
destruction. 

The  greater  wealth  is  sure  to  come  by  the 
proper  application  of  one's  gifts  to  daily  op- 
portunities. With  pure  motives  behind,  honest 
work  is  bound  to  bring  results.  If  results  do 
not  project  themselves  to  the  surface  at  once, 
have  faith  and  know  that  like  the  sap  in  the 
tree  they  are  gradually  rising  to  burst  into 
perfect  splendor  at  the  right  time. 

We  do  know  there  are  so  many  things  that 
are  intrinsically  far  more  valuable  than  just 
money.  To  be  able  to  keep  a  lovely  spirit 
that  helps  you  smile  at  annoyances  and  petty 
troubles  that  assail  you,  is  wealth  in  itself.  A 
genial,  jolly  person  can  smooth  the  roughest 

99 


WINE   FOR  THE  SOUL 

temper  of  the  richest  man,  provided  the  man 
is  a  man  and  not  a  mistake.  All  honor  to  those 
in  every  walk  of  life  who  speak  truthfully  and 
earnestly  in  defense  of  right,  inspired  by  the 
hope  of  rewards  other  than  money  or  popular 
favor.  These  are  the  men  and  women  who 
build  the  world.  They  labor  in  their  ordinary 
vocations  with  no  less  zeal  because  they  give 
time  and  attention  to  higher  things. 

By  all  means  get  wealth.  It  is  rightfully 
yours.  But  get  that  wealth  that  has  in  it  a 
clean  and  happy  heart  and  a  peaceful  mind, 
for  with  this  greater  wealth  you  become  the 
greater  being. 


100 


FORGET— REM  EMB  ER 

Forget  the  word  of  yesterday 

That  hurt  your  gentle  heart; 
Hold  in  its  place  the  tender  smile 

That  caused  sweet  joy  to  start. 

Forget  the  cold  look  you  received 

While  passing  on  your  way; 
Think  rather  of  the  loving  word 

That  cheered  that  dreary  day. 

The  world  holds  far  more  love  than  hate, 

If  we  will  pause  to  find, 
And  the  chilling  little  word  or  look — 

We  should  not  stop  to  mind. 


101 


PARENTHOOD 

The  heart  of  Parenthood  is  Love. 
Its  message  is,  "Guard,  Guide  and  Pray, 
And  when  life's  earthy  curtain  falls, 
There  will  be  Peace,  sweet  Peace — obey!" 

T  is  a  strange,  unguided  love  that 
prompts  a  mother  to  call  a  child  of 
three  years,  playing  upon  the  sidewalk 
unattended,  to  "Come  and  kiss  mother 
goodbye,  and  don't  go  on  the  street 
and  get  run  over  and  hurt  while  I  am  gone." 
But  this  is  a  quality  of  love  possessed  by  some 
mothers  today.  Thoughtful  parents  who.  live 
in  neighborhoods  of  children  know  that  my 
statement  is  true.  And  these  parents  are  made 
to  feel  sorrowful  many  times,  for  Motherhood 
is  so  inclusive. 

As  one  who  loves  children,  because  I  realize 
their  possibilities,  I  want  to  make  a  plea  for 
their  welfare.  All  children  are  nothing  less 
than  future  men  and  women  who  must  make 
the  laws  that  govern  nations.  I  often  think  as 
I  watch  mothers  in  their  effort  to  control  their 
children,  what  would  be  the  effect  if  an  angel 
— a  sure  enough  angel — should  suddenly  de- 
scend and  say:  "You  have  in  your  keeping 
102 


PARENTHOOD 

a  Christ  Child.  Guard  it,  guide  it  and  let  it 
grow  in  God's  way.  Give  it  all  the  love  you 
can,  for  as  its  mother  you  must,  of  all  beings, 
give  an  accurate  account  to  God  for  your 
trust."  I  fancy  that,  if  this  should  happen,  all 
the  worldly-wise  mothers  would  immediately 
turn  their  lives  inside  out,  and  have  a  most 
wonderful  self-cleaning  up.  They  would  soon 
be  possessed  of  new  eyes,  new  hearts,  new 
minds.  The  fathers,  too,  would  come  running 
home  from  their  places  of  business  to  join  the 
mothers  in  their  pride  and  happiness  of  the 
high  office  of  appointment.  My!  would  not 
things  generally  take  a  mighty  turn,  if  parents 
should  receive  such  glorious  information?  In- 
stead of  the  cold  indifference  accorded  so  many 
children  by  their  sponsors,  the  Christ  children 
would  receive  the  most  patient  and  thoughtful 
consideration.  Their  growth  and  progress 
would  be  planned  most  carefully.  They  would 
be  regarded  so  sacredly  that  no  outside  influ- 
ences would  be  possible.  They  would  be 
clothed  in  the  etheric  garments  of  prayer.  If 
mothers  and  fathers  had  the  faintest  knowl- 
edge that  they  were  the  parents  of  a  "superior" 
child,  what  superior  preparations  would  be 
made  for  the  coming  of  the  "enlightened" 
being.  First  would  come  gratitude  to  the 
great  God  of  Love,  to  be  followed  by  the  most 

103 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

guarded  system  of  thought  in  their  own  minds. 
What  a  select  draft  of  friends  would  bear  them 
company  during  the  waiting  period  of  the 
Christ  Child  that  was  coming  to  earth.  How 
splendidly  would  the  poorest  use  their  oppor- 
tunity. Cleanliness  in  the  smallest  detail 
would  be  regarded.  The  swaddling  clothes  of 
this  child  would  be  selected  with  the  utmost 
skill  and  care.  And  when  the  Christ  Child 
was  once  in  the  keeping  of  the  parent,  with 
what  interest  and  curiosity  its  every  wish 
would  be  regarded. 

How  carefully  would  the  mother  reply  to 
its  innocent  queries.  And  when  it  did  some 
unexpected  thing,  how  very  thoughtful  would 
mother  become.  Instead  of  calling  it  a 
"blamed,  meddlesome  thing,"  she  would  lift 
her  heart  heavenward,  and  say,  "Show  me  the 
way,  God,  to  answer  this  child's  demand." 
Ah,  no,  she  would  never  resort  to  boxing  its 
sensitive  ears.  It  would  be  an  awful  thing  to 
do,  to  strike  a  Christ  Child!  How  very  polite 
both  parents  would  be  to  this  promising  savior 
of  the  world.  It  would  always  be,  "I  thank 
you,  child,"  and  "Will  you  please  do  this  for 
me?"  "I  think  this  way  is  the  safest,  my  dear; 
suppose  you  try  it.  I  will  patiently  show  you 
how."  Yes,  this  would  be  the  treatment  of 
104 


PARENTHOOD 

the  Christ  Child,  if  it  was  only  assured  as  such. 
But  the  present-day  child  falls  short  of 
thoughtful  treatment,  and  yet  it  is  in  all  cer- 
tainty a  Christ  Child — a  little  god  from  the 
spheres  celestial  1 

Mother,  dear,  how  you  have  suffered  to 
bring  your  Christ  Child  into  this  expression 
of  life,  yet  you  treat  it  more  like  an  evil  thing, 
leaving  it  all  alone,  unprotected,  just  hoping 
that  it  will  not  get  run  over  and  killed  out- 
right. Wake  up,  mother;  it  is  never  too  late 
to  begin  anew.  Even  though  years  have  cov- 
ered its  brow  with  your  neglect,  the  Christ 
spirit  is  there  and  can  be  reached  only  by  the 
power  of  your  wonderful,  confiding  love. 
Don't  let  even  its  father  tell  you  that  it  has 
gone  beyond  your  reach,  for  he  is  only  some 
mother's  Christ  Child  who  does  not  under- 
stand. Whatever  the  age  or  experience,  chil- 
dren are  as  a  piece  of  putty  in  the  hands  of  the 
mother  who  is  conscious  of  the  divine  power 
of  Mother  Love.  And  mother  love  of  the 
clean,  pure  quality  cannot  leave  her  Christ 
Child  on  the  street  unattended,  and  at  the 
mercy  of  conditions  even  more  deadly  than 
street  cars  and  automobiles. 

Indeed  the  Christ  Child  belongs  at  the 
mother's  side  until  it  has  matured  to  her 

105 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

strength  of  understanding.  When  this  holy 
moment  arrives,  nothing,  no  one,  can  detach 
that  child  from  her  ways  of  wisdom.  The 
Christ  Child  is  calling  to  every  mother  today. 
Mother,  dear,  it  asks  to  be  loved,  played  with 
and  entertained.  For  you  it  is  longing,  long- 
ing so.  Go  take  it  again  to  your  breast,  as 
only  you  can,  and  as  its  companion  and  con- 
fidant let  it  redeem  you. 

LOVE'S  WHITE  ROD 

Give  me  a  home  in  which  to  work 

And  build  my  life; 
Give  me  a  man  of  truth  and  strength 

Out  of  the  strife; 
Give  me  a  child — that  wondrous  thing 

From  the  heart  of  God, — 
I'll  dare  the  world  then,  men  and  kings, 

With  Love's  white  rod! 


106 


SHOW  ME  THE  WAY* 

Show  me  the  way,  O  Heavenly  One ; 
Show  me  Thy  way,  that  Thy  will  may  be  done. 
Give  me  the  strength  to  follow  each  day 
The  path  where  Thou  leadest;  Oh!  show  me  the 
way. 

Though  it  be  through  the  valley  where  clouds 

hang  low, 

If  Thou  leadest,  Father,  there  will  I  go, 
All  unafraid  of  the  shadows'  dark  blue, 
For  Thou  art  the  Light  I  wish  to  pursue. 

Just  show  me  the  way  out  of  doubt,  out  of  fear ; 
Then  surely  I'll  know  Thou  art  very  near; 
And  my  heart  will  leap  into  joyous  song, 
For  as  the  days  brighten,  my  soul  shall  grow 
strong. 


*  A  perfect  song  with  musical  setting  by  Homer  Tourjee,  published 
by  the  I<os  Angeles  Music  Publishing  Company. 


107 


THE   THINGS   THAT   ARE   WORTH 
WHILE 

OMETIMES  the  strongest  are 
tempted  to  ask:  "What  is  worth 
while?"  but  to  the  strong  soul,  though 
it  be  passing  through  its  Gethsemane, 
comes  the  echo  from  the  heart  of  the 
real — Everything  that  touches  Life  with  the 
slightest  bit  of  truth  is  worth  while. 

If  that  sojourn  in  Gethsemane  adds  to  our 
life  one  glint  of  truth ;  if  it  gives  us  a  greater 
understanding  of  our  weaknesses  and  succeeds 
in  showing  us  a  fault  in  ourselves;  if  out  of 
its  gloom,  we  have  gained  more  sympathy, 
more  generosity,  more  tolerance,  more  love 
for  other  struggling  creatures,  then  our  weary, 
toilsome  journey  in  the  Garden  of  Gloom  has 
been  well  worth  while. 

Surely  a  wise  hand  held  us  all  the  way  and 
a  silent,  merciful  voice  beat  upon  our  worldly 
ears  a  song  of  knowledge,  which  could  be 
gained  only  through  the  experience  of  this 
journey.  And  if  we  gained  the  knowledge  in- 
tended for  us,  certainly  we  will  never  pass 
that  way  again.  The  Infinite  Good,  who  rules 
Io8 


THETHINGSTHATAREWORTHWHILE 

all,  rules  also  our  Gethsemane  and  takes  us 
there  for  a  divine  purpose.  We  need  its  scenes 
and  experiences  to  aid  us  in  the  performance 
of  higher  duties.  There  is  no  mistake  but 
that  our  lives  are  always  in  their  proper  set- 
ting. 

Through  experience  only  do  we  gather 
knowledge  by  which  to  conquer  future  diffi- 
culties, and,  conquering,  become  strong. 

Whatever  adds  in  the  smallest  way  to  the 
world's  betterment,  even  though  it  necessitates 
personal  suffering,  is  worth  while.  We  never 
know  how  small  a  thing  may  become  a  bene- 
diction to  a  human  life.  The  one  who  says 
an  encouraging  word  to  the  disheartened  or 
gives  a  look  of  love  or  speaks  a  sentence  which 
may  become  strength,  guidance  or  comfort  to 
another,  does  something  worth  while. 

Every  singer  who  has  sung  a  pure,  sweet 
song  has  lent  a  harmony  to  Earth  and  Heaven 
that  will  bless  through  all  eternity.  Every 
artist,  who  has  painted  a  noble  picture,  has  put 
an  immortal  touch  to  Life's  canvas  and  all  the 
World  has  been  made  better  for  it.  Every 
writer,  who  has  penned  a  line  of  Truth  for  the 
encouragement  of  Humanity  has  proven 
himself  a  living  inspiration.  Every  kind 
word  dropped  from  tender  lips  has  been  as 
spices  dropped  into  the  ocean  of  Life. 

109 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

It  is  always  worth  while  to  do  our  best  to 
give  a  helping  hand  to  those  who  need  us,  to 
speak  the  gentle  word — to  be  kind.  For  we 
never  know  how  soon  that  we  will  be  called 
upon  to  take  our  little  journey  into  the  Garden 
of  Gloom  and  reap  the  seed  we  have  some- 
where, some  time  sown,  however  secure  we  at 
present  feel  in  our  flower-strewn  garden  of 
Daphne. 

Our  pure  sweet  Optimism  should  be  thrown 
like  a  veil  of  light  over  all.  A  noble  sympathy 
that  is  beautiful  and  purifying  can  emanate 
from  each  one.  It  is  quite  the  thing  worth 
while,  and  makes  us  attractive,  magnetic,  pros- 
perous creatures. 

To  do  these  things  worth  the  doing — or 
worth  the  while — we  should  first  remember 
there  is  nothing  common  in  God's  world ;  there 
is  no  time,  no  place  and  no  person  that  is  com- 
mon; but  all  things,  all  people  are  one  and 
equally  important  in  his  great  plan  of  life. 
The  difference  only  is  in  our  point  of  view,  and 
the  best  of  us  have  a  very  poor  vision  indeed. 
Some  people  can  only  be  aroused  to  a  sense  of 
music  by  a  great  Brass  Band,  while  others  are 
touched  to  a  deep  feeling  by  the  gentle  mur- 
mur of  the  brook  or  the  ripple  of  melody  from 
a  bird's  throat — it  is  all  in  the  person. 

Before  we  can  discern  the  things  that  are 
110 


THE  THINGS  THAT  ARE  WORTH  WHILE 

really  worth  while,  we  must  first  give  up  self- 
seeking.  In  the  wholesome  life,  there  is  no 
great,  no  "mine"  or  "thine." 

All  things  are  for  all.  As  the  waters  recede 
from  Tantalus,  so  do  the  good  things  of  life 
from  the  egotistical,  jealous  and  selfish  spirit. 
But  all  true  blessings  of  life  are  in  the  way  of 
that  one  who  is  sincere,  patient  and  forgetful 
of  self,  and  tries  to  be  helpful  to  the  world  and 
who  spends  his  life  in  loving,  generous  deeds. 

Worry,  regret  and  discontent,  together  with 
self-seeking,  these  are  the  things  we  must  let 
go,  would  we  do  those  things  that  are  worth 
while.  When  we  gain  power — the  power  that 
is  uplifting  and  everlasting  in  its  influence,  the 
sting  of  the  bitter  word  will  not  drop  from  our 
lips,  no  deed  of  ours  will  wound  another.  We 
will  know  that  that  which  gives  pain  is  not  the 
thing  worth  while.  There  is  a  way  of  being 
kind  in  our  severest  reproofs.  The  wounds  we 
inflict  may  heal  and  in  time  the  scar  may  dis- 
appear, but  the  memory  of  it  will  never  fade. 
All  this  we  each  will  learn  in  our  course  of 
Spiritual  evolution. 

Through  our  experiences,  we  will  awaken 
some  fair  morning  with  the  knowledge  that  it 
is  worth  while  to  be  wise  in  the  use  of  time 
and  opportunity  and  our  faces  will  light  with 
a  new  and  more  loving  smile  for  all. 

in 


A  SMILE 

A  smile  is  like  a  sunbeam, 

Piercing  through  a  rift; 
Though  voiceless  is  its  presence, 

It  has  the  power  to  lift 
The  heart  made  sad  and  lonely, 

By  worldly  hollow  mirth, 
And  place  it  in  a  setting 

Above  the  things  of  earth. 
A  smile  seems  but  a  trifle — 

Perhaps  to  some,  'tis  so; 
To  others  it's  a  brilliance 

Which  sets  all  life  aglow. 


112 


LIFE'S  SUM-TOTAL 

"Love  me  and  the  world  is  mine !" 
Oh !  the  joy,  and  oh !  the  bliss ! 

No  other  power  need  I  then 
Than  this,  just  this. 

Love  me,  and  all  else  will  yield 

In  my  soul,  what's  good,  what's  best; 

Conquered,  I'll  prove  conqueror 
O'er  all  the  rest,  o'er  all  the  rest. 

"Love  me  and  the  world  is  mine !" 
Mine  and  thine,  dear,  oh,  the  bliss ! 

Love's  the  master,  Love's  the  law; 
Proudest  knee  must  bow  to  this. 


113 


WINNING  YOUR  WAY 

HEN  you  enter  a  strange  community 
and  a  friend  invites  you  out  to  meet  a 
throng  of  new  people,  how  natural  it 
is  for  you  to  want  to  look  your  best,  to 
speak  your  kindest,  and  smile  your 
sweetest.  Forgetting  all  your  disappoint- 
ments, all  the  harsh  things  you  ever  heard  or 
said,  the  occasion  calls  for  only  the  one  desire 
— the  desire  to  please,  to  make  a  good  impres- 
sion upon  those  whom  you  hope  to  claim  in 
future,  as  friends  and  pleasant  acquaintances. 
How  easy  it  is  to  ignore  all  past  unpleasant 
memories. 

You  are  there  to  play  your  part  well ;  you 
are  winning  your  way.  In  this  effort  you  are 
laying  the  foundation  for  much  future  happi- 
ness, as  well  as  enjoying  a  delightful  present. 
You  are  on  this  occasion  giving  and  taking,  you 
are  putting  griefs  and  worriments  behind  you. 
You  are  doing  this  easily  and  unaided,  save  for 
the  kindness  of  the  friend  who  introduced  you. 
You  are  there,  refusing  to  see  anything  but 
the  best  in  those  about  you  or  to  give  anything 
114 


WINNING  YOUR  WAY 

but  the  best  of  yourself.  You  must  go  away 
conscious  that  you  have  "made  good." 

One  less  conversant  with  the  things  that 
please,  queries,  "How  can  you  do  it?" 

It  is  simple:  On  this  occasion  you  are  act- 
ing unselfishly;  you  are  forgetting  all  unpleas- 
antries.  Everything  of  an  inharmonious  na- 
ture is  cast  aside,  in  your  determination  to 
please  others;  you  are  seeing  life  from  its 
"sunny  side."  In  other  words,  you  are  endear- 
ing yourself  to  the  new  throng,  by  your  gra- 
cious, cheery,  optimistic  manner.  You  are 
making  friends  and  it  is  only  natural  that  you 
hear  noised  about  next  day  that  "there  is  a 
charming,  new  acquisition  to  social  circles." 

That  is  your  aim  and  object — you  can  boast 
of  neither  money  nor  any  special  accomplish- 
ment. You  do  not  need  them;  you  possess 
something  more  sure  and  powerful.  You  can 
both  forget  and  remember.  Your  power  to 
please  acts  like  an  elixir  upon  those  around 
you.  No  jealous  or  envious  mind  can  block 
your  way.  Your  tender,  optimistic  nature 
sweeps  everything  before  it.  You  are  winning 
and  you  are  glad — everybody  is  glad,  and  a 
few  wonder  why. 

Ah,  how  much  more  profitable  life  would 
be,  if  we  would  always  just  "play  like"  we 

115 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

were  in  a  new  community,  with  new  people, 
anxious  to  win  friends  by  our  friendliness  and 
graciousness ;  willing  to  forget  the  wear  and 
tear  of  the  day;  willing  only  to  talk  upon  the 
topics  that  contain  bright,  cheery  and  con- 
structive ideas. 

There  is  so  much  usefulness  in  talking  our 
best,  in  smiling  our  sweetest  and  doing  our 
utmost  to  make  others  forget  the  cares  of  life. 
This  would  not  make  us  any  the  less  true  and 
sincere,  but  it  would  help  us  mightily  to  be- 
come a  great  deal  more  so. 

Whatever  our  trial  or  grief,  it  is  best  to 
struggle  with  it  in  the  silence  of  self — the 
Great  Self.  It  is  sure  to  work  out  all  right. 
It  always  does,  if  you  are  brave  and  hopeful. 


116 


PRAY  WITHOUT  CEASING 

When  grey  sorrow  comes  your  way — 
And  Life's  clouds  obscure  the  day, 
Then  Pray! 

When  you  behold  another's  need — 
Help  by  tender  word  and  deed, 
And  Pray! 

When  you  crave  to  soar  on  high — 
Your  wings  seem  clipped,  don't  sigh — 
But  Pray ! 

When  the  day's  clouds  turn  to  light — 
Life's  sorrow  to  laughter  bright, 
Pray,  pray! 

Pray  throughout,  whate'er  the  test — 
It  will  help  to  hold  the  best, 
So  Pray! 


117 


IN  THE  WORLD'S  WILDERNESS 

In  the  wilderness  of  self,  we  are  of  times  lost; 
Then,  Soul,  to  the  rescue,  whatever  the  cost! 

ITH  the  most  of  us  our  ways  of  living 
are  trivial  and  exceedingly  unsatisfac- 
tory. Our  so-called  pleasant  vices  lead 
us  into  the  maze  of  painful  perplexity. 
Our  ideals  of  what  may  be  best  for  our 
own  enjoyment  and  advancement  fall  far  short 
of  our  dreams.  Our  amusements  pall  on  our 
over-wearied  senses.  Our  youth  takes  its 
flight  like  "a  puff  of  thistle-down  on  the  wind" 
and  we  spend  all  our  time  feverishly  trying  to 
live  without  understanding  life.  Like  so  many 
lambs  from  the  fold  of  a  protecting  shepherd 
we  find  ourselves  playing  hide  and  seek  in  the 
jungle  of  the  world's  wilderness. 

This  wilderness  is  wide  and  in  it  we  encoun- 
ter strange  surprises  and  all  sorts  of  compan- 
ions, some  recklessly  hilarious,  some  crouch- 
ing fearfully  among  shadows,  too  weary  to 
move  at  all;  others  sauntering  idly  on,  won- 
dering when  the  journey  will  end. 

But  we  meet  a  few  in  the  wilderness  who 
tell  us  that  it  is  not  a  wilderness  at  all,  but  a 
118 


IN  THE  WORLD'S  WILDERNESS 

place  of  sweet  refuge,  where  the  voice  of 
silence  speaks  to  the  soul;  where  the  veil  of 
appearance  is  lifted  and  a  life  of  reality  is  re- 
vealed, and  the  voice  of  the  spirit  is  heard  to 
say,  "Be  ye  perfect  even  as  I  am  perfect,"  con- 
veying the  knowledge  that  God  has  given  us 
the  faculties  which  shall  help  us  to  be  perfect. 
Yes,  we  are  in  the  wilderness  of  the  world. 
Many  are  lost  in  the  brier-wood  tangle  and  are 
seeking  their  way  out  of  the  shadows,  longing 
for  the  bright  sun  of  the  day,  for  joy,  hope  and 
sweet  peace.  Ah,  if  we  only  knew  how  full 
we  ourselves  are  of  the  things  that  heal  the 
heart-wounds,  self-inflicted,  we  would  raise 
our  heads  toward  the  source  of  light,  and  we 
would  never  look  down  again. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  wide  world  that  can 
cure  our  ills  and  give  us  perfection  but  our- 
selves! Nothing  can  possibly  come  to  us  from 
the  external.  It  is  all  from  within  out.  God 
is  within  us — His  image — which  means  His 
mind,  since  he  has  no  physical  body.  The  God 
within  us  is  the  only  solace,  the  only  guide  that 
will  change  our  wilderness  into  a  garden  of 
sweets.  It  is  the  realization  of  this  vast  truth 
that  will  give  us  the  things  we  need  to  help  us 
—health  and  power.  But  we  must  call,  and 
call,  again  and  again,  for  the  God  within  to 

119 


WINE   FOR  THE   SOUL 

come  forth,  and  give  us  that  love,  that  power 
and  peace,  which  frees  from  the  entanglements 
and  discouragements  that  separate  us  from  the 
fullness  of  life. 

We  are  a  part  of  Divine  creation — as  sacred 
a  fact  in  the  universe  as  God,  because  we  are 
made  in  His  Divine  image,  therefore  we  have 
an  absolute  right  to  command  health,  joy, 
peace  and  power.  And  any  thought  that  re- 
verses that  right  is  untrue,  and  is  only  the 
language  of  the  dark  shadows  of  external  life, 
which  will  in  time  pass  away.  To  get  out  of 
the  wilderness  of  shadows,  we  must  command 
positively — not  fearfully,  doubtfully.  If  we 
persist  in  living  in  the  shadows  of  thought,  we 
must  expect  discordant  confusion  when  we 
would  see  where  to  place  our  feet. 

We  must  bestir  ourselves,  would  we  come 
into  our  true  inheritance — into  the  grace  and 
beauty  of  being.  We  must  create  for  ourselves 
a  proper  balance  and  a  perfect  comprehension 
of  our  powers  to  win,  so  that  the  soul  which 
finds  itself  in  the  wilderness,  encounters  no 
more  misleading  lights  or  shadows,  no  more 
needing  to  lean  upon  another,  for  peace  of 
mind  and  happiness. 

The  Soul,  seeking  freedom,  learns  to  "let 
go"  even  those  things  and  persons  which  it 
120 


IN  THE  WORLD'S  WILDERNESS 

holds  dearest,  for  it  is  in  "letting  go,"  that  it 
gains  real  and  lasting  possession  of  the  thing 
and  person  it  loves.  This  is  the  peace  that  the 
awakened  one  finds  in  the  wilderness,  this  is 
the  message  that  will  cheer  and  bless  all  along 
the  way. 


121 


IN  PERPETUUM 

I  move  in  the  soundless  march 

Of  the  ever  flaming  stars. 
My  soul  demands  I  climb  and  toil 

Despite  the  pain  that  jars. 
Through  transmutation  I  must  work 

My  way  toward  the  end, 
And  even  there  I  must  not  pause, 

My  soul  will  time  extend. 


122 


WINE  for  the  SOUL 

IN    PROSE 
AND  VERSE 

br 
MARGARET  OLIVE  JORDAN 


Published  bj> 

J.  F.  ROWNY  PRESS 

Printers,  Publishers 

31 7  South  Hill  Los  Angeles 


Ji 


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tiful philosophy,  and  deserves  first  place  as  a  seller.    Every 
poem  and  prose  article  is  of  pure  inspiration." 
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ful that  I  have  been  privileged  to  read  it.  I  shall  buy  an- 
other to  give  to  a  friend.  May  it  have  every  success  that 
it  so  justly  deserves." 

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"It  is  my  pleasure  to  write  and  tell  you  that  your  book 
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"Your  book  is  rightfully  named,  for  certainly  it  proves  a 
spiritual  stimulant  to  the  depressed  and  discouraged  ones. 
God  bless  you  in  your  work,  and  may  this  book  prove  a 
tremendous  success  as  a  seller." 

Dr.  L.  A.  Brustad,  Physician  and   Surgeon,  San  Antonio, 
Texas: 

"Your  book  deserves  every  success.     It  is  a  book  truly 
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there  has  nothing  better  ever  been  written.  It  is  a  mo- 
mentary inspiration  to  me,  and  deserves  a  tremendous  dis- 
tribution. The  poems  contained  therein  are  masterpieces, 
every  one." 

"Wine  for  the  Soul"  in  prose  and  verse,  beautiful- 
ly bound  iu  cloth,  with  specially  designed  covers, 
in  gilt,  $1.25  postpaid. 

Order  from  any  bookdealer  or  directly  from  the 
Publishers,  J.  F.  ROWNY  PRESS,  317  South  Hill. 
Los  Angeles,  Cal. 


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